The white marbles of the Feriye Palace converse with the waves of the Bosphorus; with every whisper, a journey through time begins.
On one of Istanbul’s most elegant shores, Feriye Palace, leaning against the serenity of the Bosphorus, brings together the shadows of the past and the light of today in the same frame. Every wave that hits its marble walls echoes the stories that were once lived here. Perhaps the quietest of palaces is the one that tells the most.
The History of Feriye Palace
Located between the Beşiktaş and Ortaköy neighborhoods on the European side of the Bosphorus, Feriye Palace (historically known as the Feriye Palaces) is an Ottoman palace complex consisting of multiple structures. When even Dolmabahçe Palace (1856) and Çırağan Palace (1872) could not meet the dynasty's accommodation needs, the additional buildings constructed by architects from the Balyan family on the coastal strip east of Çırağan Palace began to be referred to as the 'Feriye Palaces'. The construction of Feriye Palace began in 1871 during the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz, with the project realized by the palace architect of the time, Sarkis Balyan. The word “Feriye” in Ottoman Turkish means “secondary” or “auxiliary” and refers to this characteristic of the palace complex. In this group of structures along the Bosphorus, consisting of three main buildings lined up like pearls, a harem quarters, and a small two-story pavilion, members of the dynasty deemed appropriate by the sultan, as well as princes and sultanas without their own palaces, resided.
The Feriye Palace was also the scene of one of the most turbulent events in Ottoman history. Sultan Abdulaziz, who was deposed in the coup of May 30, 1876, was held in Topkapi Palace for four days before being transferred to the Feriye Palace at his own request; however, on the morning of June 4, 1876, he was found dead in the palace he had helped establish, with his wrists cut. After this tragic incident, the Feriye Palaces continued to be used by the Ottoman dynasty for many years. With the abolition of the caliphate on March 3, 1924, and the exile of the Ottoman family, the palace was left empty; shortly afterward, it was allocated to educational institutions by the new Republic of Turkey.
During the Republican period, different sections of the Feriye Palace began to host various schools. In 1927, the Marine School (later ITU Faculty of Maritime) moved into part of the palace buildings, while in 1928-1929, Kabataş Boys' High School moved into another section of the complex. When Galatasaray High School began admitting female students in 1967, a wing of Feriye Palace was arranged as the girls' branch of this high school. In 1992, this section was transferred to Galatasaray University, becoming its Ortaköy Campus. Meanwhile, another part, which had remained neglected for years and was located near Ortaköy Mosque, was restored in 1995 by the Kabataş Education Foundation and opened as a restaurant and event venue under the name Feriye Restaurant. A fire that broke out in the palace complex on January 22, 2013, severely damaged the main building used by Galatasaray University; the historic building, whose roof had collapsed, had its restoration project approved in 2016 and was completed in May 2019. In addition, restoration work was initiated in 2017 on the former dormitory building of Kabataş Erkek High School for seismic reinforcement purposes and is still ongoing. Today, the buildings of the Feriye Palace complex are mainly used by educational institutions, primarily Kabataş Erkek High School and Galatasaray University. In addition, the restored sections of the palace host restaurants and cultural events, providing an environment that brings together history and modern life.
Architecture of Feriye Palace
Feriye Palace is an elegant example of late Ottoman architecture in the 19th century influenced by Western styles. The exterior facades, adorned with Neo-Classical and Baroque decorative elements, immediately highlight the eclectic palace style of the period. Marble and cut stone workmanship are prominent on the building facades; especially the marble-columned arcades on the waterfront give these side palaces the appearance of small “mini-palaces.” Feriye Palace also features its own marble pier extending towards the Bosphorus, allowing sultans and members of the royal family to reach the palace by sea. Behind the main blocks, service buildings and annexes facing inland are situated. In the structures built with a masonry system, stone and brick were used as the main materials, while wood was preferred for flooring and woodwork.
The interior design of the palace reflects a simpler Ottoman aesthetic, in contrast to its exterior facades. The spacious halls with high ceilings, unlike the ornate, Baroque-influenced exterior, feature modest interior decoration adorned with traditional motifs. There are detailed stucco ornaments on the ceilings and Ottoman motifs on the walls; the elegance of the interior is harmonized with simplicity. Preserving the high-quality materials used during the construction of Feriye Palace remains important in contemporary restoration efforts; in fact, after the 2013 fire, experts and civil society organizations expressed a shared expectation that the damaged parts of the palace should be repaired using original materials rather than reinforced concrete. All these architectural features make Feriye Palace an impressive complex that embodies both the European influence of its era and the subtleties of Ottoman palace tradition.
Exploring the Feriye Palace by Yacht
Imagine a yacht gliding through the cool waters of the Bosphorus at dusk; in the breeze surrounding you, you can feel the breath of history. As the sky shifts from red to midnight blue, the elegant silhouette of the Feriye Palace begins to appear on the shore. On such a night, while drifting into the depths of the Bosphorus on a short yacht rental adventure, the palace's outline follows you, almost as if guiding you. Moonlight leaves a silver trail on the waves, and the palace's white marble facades sparkle with this light. Cheerful laughter rising from the yacht's deck and the faint strains of music from afar reach your ears like echoes of an imagined palace celebration from times past. Each wave gently hits the palace's stone walls and retreats, as if whispering a centuries-old secret. The scent of history mixed with the salty breeze of the Bosphorus invites one beyond the bounds of time; for a moment, you close your eyes and feel yourself as part of this splendor. The Feriye Palace, witnessing the grandeur of centuries past, glides on the lap of the sea, telling you a story of both Istanbul and your own history.