Since the times of the Byzantine Empire, the territory of the present-day Istanbul neighbourhood - Beylerbey, located on the Asian coast of the Bosphorus Strait, has been inhabited. Historical sources of the 18th century inform us that this place was called "Istavroz Gardens" (from Byzantine, istavroz - cross) after Emperor Constantine the Great erected a cross here. During the Ottoman Empire it was an imperial park. Injijian, a famous traveller of the 16th century, describes the events that gave this place the name Beylerbey. During the reign of Murad III, in the 16th century, Mehmed Pasha was honoured with the title of Governor-General - Beylerbey of Rumelia, after which he built a country house on the banks of the Bosphorus.
By order of Sultan Mahmud II, a palace was added to Beylerbey in 1827, which was designed by architect Kirkor Balyan. However, in 1851, under Sultan Abdul-Mejid I, this structure, made entirely of wood and adjacent to the coast, was partially destroyed by fire. Only the Mermer Köshk Marble Pavilion, the large swimming pool and the lower terrace managed to survive.
Ottoman sultans built summer residences and pavilions here in the 17th century. В 1861-1864, by order of Padishah Abdulaziz - the brother and heir of Abdul-Mejid I, on the same place where the wooden palace destroyed by fire, Mahmud II's palace was destroyed by fire, the architects Agop and Sarkis Balyan rebuilt a new palace - a summer residence of the sultans. It served as a place of accommodation important guests of foreign countries during their visit to the Ottoman capital and was designed in the Baroque style.
The stone and white marble structure was completed in 1865. Its length along the coast is 65 metres. It was surrounded by gardens of magnolias. The palace was divided into two parts, the harem and the common quarters.
Beylerbey consisted of two main floors and a basement (ground floor), where the kitchen and storerooms were located. The palace was beautifully and tastefully decorated, it had three entrances, 6 large ceremonial halls and 26 rooms. Behind it are flower beds with fragrant magnolias. There is also has a large swimming pool and several summer palaces.
The interior of the palace is a bizarre mixture of a variety of Eastern and Western styles, although the room layout itself is in the Turkish tradition with a sofa in the middle. The furnishings and decoration of the harem, compared to the common chambers, was more modest. The furnishings and decoration of the public rooms, called Selamlik, was richer and more varied.
It is interesting that the floor in Beylerbey was covered with reeds, which were supplied from Egypt (so-called Egyptian mats). In winter it relieved the inhabitants from the from dampness and moisture, and in summer it was an escape from the heat. The floor was covered with the rarest handmade carpets. The same carpets were in Dolmabahce Palace. They were were made in the palace weaving workshops in Herek. In the palace you can admire the magnificent beauty of Bohemian crystal chandeliers, Chinese, Japanese, French and Turkish porcelain vases, as well as a French clock. Sultan Abdulaziz was passionate about ships. During his reign the Turkish navy was the second largest in the world after the British. This was reflected in in the interior of the palace. Here you can observe a large number of nautical motifs and images of ships.
Around the palace were hunting grounds, a zoo and a garden with plants, brought here from all over the world. There is a tunnel leading from the palace to the gardens, built under Mahmud the Second. This is unusual for a palace like this, as it is usually bridges for this purpose. Yellow and Marble Pavilions, Musical Apartments, Deer House, Pigeon Temple, Bird Court and the royal stables surround the palace.
In different time periods it has been the guest of such important persons as the Prince of Wales, King Edward VIII, Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, Prince Nicholas, Shah Nasreddin of Persia, the King of Montenegro, the Prince of Serbia, the last Sultan of Turkey Abdulhamid. The Shah of Iran - Nasreddin, after his overthrow, was imprisoned in this and died here in 1918. And in 1869, the Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III. Sultan Abdulaziz himself oversaw the preparation and decoration of the rooms of such an important guest. It was rumoured that he was was very partial to the Empress. This is evidenced by the fact that even the mosquito net which hung on the window above Eugenia's bed was dotted with with tiny pearls. The French Empress was so flattered that when she returned home, she had her Tuileries palace fitted with the same windows as those in the Beylerbey residence on the Bosphorus.
The palace was invariably admired by visitors for its exquisite refinement. The gardens are only allowed in by prior arrangement and not to all.
