Feriye Palace

Stretching serenely and majestically along one of the most elegant shores of the Bosphorus, Feriye Palace brings together the shadows of the past and the light of the present through the same window. Every wave crashing against its marble walls seems to whisper the centuries-old memories of this palace. Encircled by the tranquillity of the Strait, this quiet corner of the palace captivates visitors at first glance, offering both a magnificent history and a modern vibrancy.

History of Feriye Palace

Located on the European side of the Bosphorus, between the Beşiktaş and Ortaköy districts of Istanbul, Feriye Palace (historically known as Feriye Sarayları) is an Ottoman palace complex consisting of multiple buildings. Despite the construction of Dolmabahçe Palace in 1856 and Çırağan Palace in 1872, the dynasty's accommodation needs were not fully met. Consequently, additional buildings were constructed on the coastal strip between Çırağan Palace and Ortaköy Mosque, led by architects belonging to the Balyan family. The name ‘Feriye,’ meaning “secondary” or ‘auxiliary’ in Ottoman Turkish, was given to this group of additional buildings, reflecting their nature. Behind this complex, consisting of three main buildings on the sea side, a servants' quarters and a small two-storey pavilion, were the service buildings on the land side; these palaces were home to members of the dynasty deemed suitable by the sultan, as well as princes and sultans who did not have their own palaces.

The Feriye Palace was also the scene of one of the most turbulent events in Ottoman history. Sultan Abdülaziz, who was deposed in the coup of 30 May 1876, was held at Topkapı Palace for four days before being transferred to Feriye Palace at his own request; however, on the morning of 4 June 1876, he was found dead in this palace, which he had initiated, with his wrists cut. Even after this tragic event, the Feriye Palaces continued to host members of the Ottoman dynasty for many years. On 3 March 1924, with the abolition of the caliphate and the exile of the Ottoman family, the palace stood empty for a while. Shortly afterwards, the new Turkish Republic administration decided to allocate these vacant buildings to educational institutions.

During the Republican era, different sections of the Feriye Palace began to house various schools. In 1927, the Higher Naval Academy (later the Istanbul Technical University Faculty of Maritime Sciences) moved into part of the palace buildings, while in the 1928-1929 academic year, Kabataş Boys High School moved into another section of the complex. In 1967, when Galatasaray High School began accepting female students, one wing of the Feriye Palace was allocated for use as the girls' branch of the high school. In 1992, this section was transferred to Galatasaray University and became the university's Ortaköy campus. Meanwhile, another section, located near the Ortaköy Mosque, which had been neglected for years, was restored by the Kabataş Education Foundation in 1995 and opened as a restaurant and event venue under the name Feriye Restaurant. A fire that broke out in the palace complex on 22 January 2013 severely damaged the main building used by Galatasaray University, causing its roof to collapse. The restoration project for the damaged historical building, in line with its original design, was approved in 2016 and completed in May 2019. In addition, restoration work began in 2017 on the former dormitory building of Kabataş Boys High School to reinforce it against earthquakes, and this work is still ongoing. Today, the buildings belonging to the Feriye Palace complex are mainly used by educational institutions, primarily Kabataş Boys High School and Galatasaray University. In addition, the carefully restored parts of the palace host restaurants and cultural events, offering a unique environment that brings together history and modern life.

Architecture of Feriye Palace

Feriye Palace is an elegant example of late Ottoman architecture influenced by the West in the 19th century. Its exterior facades are adorned with decorative elements in the Neo-Classical and Baroque styles, immediately conveying the eclectic palace style of the period. The facades, where marble and cut stonework are prominent, particularly the marble-columned porticoes on the sea side, give these side palaces the appearance of miniature ‘palaces’. The Feriye Palace also has its own marble pier extending towards the Bosphorus; this allowed sultans and members of the dynasty to reach the palace directly by sea in the past. Service buildings and annexes facing the landward side are located at the rear of the main building blocks. Stone and brick were the primary materials used in the palace buildings, which feature a masonry construction system, while wood was used for sections such as flooring and joinery.

The interior layout of the palace reflects a simpler Ottoman aesthetic, in contrast to the ornate exterior. The high-ceilinged, spacious halls have a relatively modest interior decoration, unlike the baroque-influenced, ornate exterior; the ceilings feature pen-and-ink decorations and the walls display traditional Ottoman motifs. The elegance of the interior is blended with simplicity, and the preservation of the high-quality materials used during construction is also important in today's restoration work. All these architectural features transform the Feriye Palace into an impressive building complex that combines both the European influences of the period and the subtleties of the Ottoman palace tradition.

Exploring Feriye Palace by Yacht

While the rhythm of the Bosphorus almost never stops on the Ortaköy coast, Feriye Palace stands beside this movement, unaffected by it, and distinguishes itself with its tranquility. Viewed from the sea, the palace, despite the vibrancy around it, displays a serene stance, maintaining its own boundaries and playing a balancing role on its surroundings. Its facade, running parallel to the shore, clearly reveals Feriye's natural relationship with the Bosphorus, while the measured simplicity of the architecture is more distinctly felt. Proportions and details often overlooked from land gradually become clearer when viewed from water level, and the structure tells its own story without haste. As the yacht moves forward, Feriye Palace reveals the fine line it has drawn between the chaos of the city and historical silence. This line offers a powerful clue to understanding the multifaceted spirit of Ortaköy. Stopping and looking here is like taking a short break from the crowd. Seeing Feriye Palace in this tranquility takes on a completely different meaning when you sail along the Bosphorus on a yacht charter. Those wishing to create a yachting plan that includes Feriye Palace can browse our fleet of yacht options online according to charter duration and number of people, and see step-by-step how the total budget is calculated by adding menu and extra service preferences via yatkiralama.net/en.