Hatice Sultan Palace, Istanbul

Hatice Sultan Palace, Istanbul

The Hatice Sultan Palace, located by the Bosporus in Istanbul's Ortaköy area, is an important historical site with a rich background. Built in the late 1800s, this impressive building near the water showcases Ottoman architectural style, including a red roof, neoclassical design, detailed woodwork and plaster, a marble courtyard, and rooms arranged to highlight both its looks and practicality.

Originally, it was the summer home of Hatice Sultan, Sultan Murat V's daughter. Over time, the palace has changed its role multiple times, adapting to the needs of the community. After the Ottoman dynasty was exiled and the Turkish Republic was established, it became an orphanage and then a primary school, contributing significantly to local education. Its position in Ortaköy makes it a key part of the area's cultural identity and a highlight on the Bosphorus walk.

The palace not only reflects Hatice Sultan's life, including her personal challenges and marriage choice, but also the broader narrative of change and adaptation. Its recent conversion into a luxury hotel complex, after significant updates including the nearby Fehime Sultan Yalı, represents the latest phase in its life, merging opulence with its historical narrative.

The Hatice Sultan Palace is more than just an example of Ottoman architectural achievement; it's a living piece of history that tells the stories of those who lived there and the societal shifts in Turkey. With its preserved structure and decorative details, the Hatice Sultan Palace is a symbol of Istanbul's cultural and historical richness, proudly standing along the Bosporus.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Istanbul. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Hatice Sultan Palace on Map

Sight Name: Hatice Sultan Palace
Sight Location: Istanbul, Turkey (See walking tours in Istanbul)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark

Walking Tours in Istanbul, Turkey

Create Your Own Walk in Istanbul

Create Your Own Walk in Istanbul

Creating your own self-guided walk in Istanbul is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Asian Side and Bosphorus Walking Tour

Asian Side and Bosphorus Walking Tour

Istanbul is the only megalopolis in the world that straddles two continents. The Bosphorus Strait splits Turkey's biggest city into two parts: European and Asian. The latter, known locally as Asya Yakası (“Asian Side”), or more commonly as Anadolu Yakası (“Anatolian Side”), is found east of the strait, geographically on the Asian mainland.

The vast Anatolian shore, wrongly...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.6 Km or 2.9 Miles
Byzantine Heritage Walking Tour

Byzantine Heritage Walking Tour

Originated as a Greek city called Byzantium, what's now known as Istanbul initially made name as Constantinople, an Eastern Roman imperial capital whose greatness had lasted for over a millennium, from 330 AD until the Ottoman invasion in 1453.

The Byzantine Empire’s rich cultural and architectural heritage is still preserved in dazzling sites throughout the city. Away from its Islamic...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Bosphorus Coast Walking Tour

Bosphorus Coast Walking Tour

One of the planet's most praised stretches of water, the Bosphorus is a source of great pride for Istanbulites and of admiration for travelers. The 30-km strait dividing Europe and Asia and connecting the Marmara with the Black Sea is one of the city's highlights, having been for all ages the subject of legend and art.

This self-guided walk will take you along the coast so that you...  view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.9 Km or 3.7 Miles
Istanbul City Walls

Istanbul City Walls

One of the most elaborate fortification systems of ancient times, the Walls of Constantinople were built by Constantine the Great to protect the city, the then newly-established capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, from attacks by land and sea. Of these, only the Golden Gate, an old ceremonial gateway into the city, had survived by the late Byzantine Era when a new series of land walls were added...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.2 Km or 3.2 Miles
Old European Quarter Walk

Old European Quarter Walk

Back in the Ottoman era, the Beyoğlu neighborhood (then known as Pera) together with Galata formed the European Quarter of Istanbul. Home to embassies and trading centers, as well as the fine 19th-century, Parisian-style apartment houses, this area was much loved by the city's non-Islamic minorities.

Its growth was boosted by the opening of the Orient Express line, connecting Paris to...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Istanbul Introduction Walking Tour

Istanbul Introduction Walking Tour

Formerly known as “Byzantium”, “Constantinople” and “New Rome”, Istanbul is the main city of Turkey, straddling the Bosphorus Strait, and as such, bridging the gap between Europe and Asia, both geographically and culturally. This ancient transcontinental metropolis embraces cultural influences of the many empires and civilizations that once ruled and flourished on this land.

...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.3 Km or 2.7 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip


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