Yıldız Palace, Ottoman imperial palace in Beşiktaş, Turkey
Yıldız Palace is a palace complex in Beşiktaş, Istanbul, where several pavilions, administrative buildings, and residential halls sit scattered across a wooded hillside. The grounds include both ceremonial reception rooms and smaller residential structures connected by gardens and pathways.
Sultan Abdülhamid II moved the seat of government here from Dolmabahçe in 1880 and expanded the grounds. After the end of the sultanate, the palace was opened to the public.
The palace houses the Imperial Porcelain Factory, which produced fine ceramics, and contains the Sedefli Salon decorated with mother-of-pearl inlays.
Access to the interiors is available only through guided tours that cover different buildings in the complex. The park grounds are freely accessible and offer shaded paths for walking.
A wooden pavilion with a steep roof sits in the garden and recalls alpine construction. This contrast with the Ottoman surroundings shows the influence of European travel fashions in the late 19th century.
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