The long white marble palace stretching 500 metres along the European Bosphorus shore was the main residence of the Ottoman sultans from 1856 until the end of the empire. Its 285 rooms include a staircase of Baccarat crystal, enormous Bohemian glass chandeliers, and an interior that mixes European Baroque and Ottoman decorative traditions in ways that either dazzle or horrify depending on your tastes. Tours are guided and timed; book in advance. Between Beşiktaş and Kabataş.
Dolmabahçe Palace
A story
The palace's chandelier in the main ceremonial hall weighs four tonnes — the largest in the world when it was installed — and was a gift from Queen Victoria. Atatürk died in this building on 10 November 1938, and all the clocks in the palace are stopped at 09:05, the moment of his death.