Dolmabahce Palace Harem Section Entry Ticket
Harem-i Hümayun, the Imperial Harem, is the private half of the palace — the family quarters, as opposed to the ceremonial Selamlık where the state was received.
- At the gate
- £17
- Allow
- 1h 30m
- District
- Besiktas
- Closed
- Open daily
The Harem at Dolmabahu00e7e, in short
Harem-i Hu00fcmayun, the Imperial Harem, is the private half of the palace u2014 the family quarters, as opposed to the ceremonial Selamlu0131k where the state was received.
It has its own entrance and its own ticket, and it is where the palace stops being a stage set and starts being a home.
What it costs
A separate u20ac20 ticket at the door. Included on the pass alongside the main palace.
How long to allow
Forty-five minutes to an hour on top of the main palace. Audio guides are available in several languages and are included with your pass.
What to see
The rooms are quieter and more domestic than the state apartments: bedrooms, sitting rooms, the Sultan's mother's apartments, and the nursery.
Atatu00fcrk's room is here. He spent his final months at Dolmabahu00e7e and died in this wing on 10 November 1938. The clocks throughout the palace are stopped at 09:05.
What 'harem' actually means
It means the private family quarters u2014 the part of a household not open to visitors u2014 rather than anything more lurid. At Dolmabahu00e7e it housed the Sultan's mother, wives, children and the staff who served them, and it was governed by a strict internal hierarchy.
Frequently asked questions
- Audio guides are available in several languages and are included with your pass.
- Yes. It is the domestic half of the palace and gives a much better sense of how the court actually lived. The pass covers it, so there is no extra cost.
- 'Imperial Harem' u2014 the private family quarters of the palace, as distinct from the ceremonial state rooms.
- About 45 minutes to an hour, in addition to the main palace.