Çırağan Palace in Istanbul: visiting, the Kempinski hotel and getting there on the Bosphorus
Çırağan Palace (Çırağan Sarayı) is one of the finest Ottoman palaces on the Bosphorus: a long white marble and stone facade that drops straight into the water in Beşiktaş, between Dolmabahçe Palace and Ortaköy. Built under Sultan Abdülaziz in the 1860s by the Balyan family of architects, it housed a deposed sultan, then the first Ottoman Parliament, before burning down in 1910. Restored in the late 20th century, it is now the palace wing of the Çırağan Palace Kempinski hotel. It is therefore not a museum: there are no public tickets or visiting hours, but you can admire it from the quay, from a Bosphorus boat, or step inside for tea or a meal. Information cross-checked in October 2026.
Highlights
The Bosphorus facade
It is best seen from the water: a Bosphorus cruise passes right in front, and the white marble line stands out against the shore. According to the sources, the palace cost 2.5 million gold coins; its decoration blends Ottoman, Moorish and European styles. It is contemporary with Dolmabahçe but smaller and more intimate (see Dolmabahçe Palace and Beylerbeyi Palace, on the opposite shore).
A tragic history
The site was already an imperial garden in the 17th century, then the setting of a sultans' residence. Sultan Murad V, deposed in 1876, was kept here for nearly thirty years. In 1909 the palace hosted the first meeting of the Ottoman Parliament; on 19 January 1910 a short circuit in the roof started a fire that left only the walls. Left in ruins for decades, it was restored from 1987 and the hotel opened in January 1991. The hotel also mentions a 17th-century gate in its gardens.
Practical info
Tips
- The palace is a luxury hotel: you cannot walk in freely. To see the interior, book a table (the hotel offers afternoon tea at the Gazebo, 3 pm to 6 pm, by reservation on +90 212 326 46 46, and the Ottoman restaurant Tuğra); prices are not published in the sources we consulted, so ask when booking. Without a reservation, a walk along the quay (Çırağan Caddesi) and the view from across the road are enough to see the facade.
- Combine it with Yıldız Park, just opposite, whose slopes run down to the palace, and with the district: see our guide to Beşiktaş. To see it from the water, see the Bosphorus cruise. To stay on the Bosphorus, read where to stay in Istanbul.
How to get there
Çırağan Caddesi 32, Beşiktaş, Istanbul. The easiest public transport: T1 tram to Kabataş, then a bus along the European shore of the Bosphorus; from the Beşiktaş ferry pier it is about a kilometre on foot to the north, and about twenty minutes on foot along the quay from Dolmabahçe. See also our advice on transport in Istanbul.
Opening hours
Our guides that feature it
Nearby
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