The Dolmabahçe Palace (Dolmabahçe Sarayı) is a palace in Istanbul, located at the western, European, side of the Bosphorus. The palace served as the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1923.
Dolmabahçe was originally a bay in the Bosphorus which was filled gradually during the 18th century to become an imperial garden, much appreciated by the Ottoman sultans (and from here comes the name, dolma meaning 'filled' and bahçe 'garden'). Various summer palaces were built here during the 18th and 19th centuries. The palace that stands here today was built in 1856 during the reign of Sultan Abd-ul-Mejid, on the site of the old coastal palace of Beşiktaş, by the Armenian architects Karabet Balyan and his son Nikoğos Balyan. The Sultans moved here since the old Topkapi Palace lacked any modern luxuries that the Dolmabahçe could provide, such as running water. The palace is composed of three parts; the Mabeyn-i Hümâyûn (or Selamlık; the quarters reserved for the men), Muayede Salonu (the ceremonial halls) and the Harem-i Hümâyûn (the Harem; i.e. the apartments of the family of the Sultan). The palace has an area of 45,000 m² (11.2 acres), and contains 285 rooms, 46 halls, 6 baths (hamam) and 68 toilets. The famous Crystal Staircase has the shape of a double horseshoe and is built of Baccarat crystal, brass and mahogany.