Yildiz Palace and Yildiz Park

Plenty of visitors to Istanbul tour Dolmabahce Palace and stop there, without going up the hill that rises behind it. They miss the last major Ottoman palace. In 1877 Sultan Abdulhamid II moved out of Dolmabahce, and for over thirty years he governed from Yildiz, a walled estate of pavilions, workshops and gardens. Visitors have been able to enter the palace buildings again since 2022, and Yildiz Park, the public section of the former imperial garden, costs nothing.

At a glance

Background

Yildiz started out as a set of garden pavilions where sultans went to rest and hunt. Abdulhamid II chose it as his home and expanded it into something like a small town, with offices, a theatre, a library, a carpentry shop where he did woodwork himself, and the Yildiz Porcelain Factory, which is still in production. He did not trust the exposed waterfront at Dolmabahce and felt safer on the sheltered slope.

Its best-known building is the Sale Pavilion, built and later enlarged as lodging for the German emperor Wilhelm II on his visits of 1889 and 1898. Once the empire was gone, sections of the estate were used as a casino, a military academy and university premises. The National Palaces administration now looks after the main palace buildings, which were restored and opened to the public in 2022.

Highlights

• Palace museum. Late-19th-century reception rooms with parquet, chandeliers and period furniture, and rooms devoted to Abdulhamid's own hobbies, his woodwork among them.
• Sale Pavilion. A long guest house with many rooms inside the park, laid with carpets from the palace looms. Its hours may not match the main museum, so ask what is open that day.
• Yildiz Park. A hilly wood of ponds, ancient plane trees and footpaths that draws runners and families. Green parrots nest in the trees.
• Malta and Cadir pavilions. A pair of small Ottoman kiosks inside the park, both now cafes, where you can stop for tea and look out over the treetops.
• Yildiz Porcelain Factory. Set up in the 1890s to make European-style porcelain for the palace, it still turns out plates, vases and cups decorated with Ottoman patterns. A small shop sells them, with changing hours.

Is it for you

Yildiz works best for people back in Istanbul for a second or third time, and for anyone drawn to late Ottoman history or peaceful gardens. On a first visit of just two or three days, the Old City should take priority. Children usually enjoy the park more than the palace interiors.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the top seasons: the park blooms in April and May, and the leaves change colour in October. In summer the woods give shade, but the climb up from the shore is hot work. Local families fill the park at weekends, while weekday mornings are calmer. Keep in mind that the palace does not open on Wednesdays.

Yildiz appears in just a few of our tours. The 9-Day Small-Group Turkey Tour includes Yildiz Palace during its time in Istanbul. The Istanbul Private Helicopter Tour over the Bosphorus flies over Yildiz Park and the waterfront palaces during its 30-minute flight. If you want a private day built around your own wishes, the Best of Istanbul Private Guided Tour can combine Yildiz with Dolmabahce and the Bosphorus, starting at US$199 per day.

Getting there

Starting in Besiktas, follow Ciragan Avenue in the direction of Ortakoy and go into the park by the lower gate close to Ciragan Palace, then walk uphill through the trees. A taxi can leave you at the upper gate beside the palace. Coastal buses stop close to the lower gate.

Practical advice

• Pair Yildiz with Dolmabahce Palace and Ortakoy in one day; the drive between them is short.
• Rules on taking photos in the palace rooms may change, so check at the door.
• Some park paths are steep, and not all are paved.
• Have cash for the park cafes, as some do not take all cards.

Frequently Asked Questions