Dolmabahçe Clock Tower

The work of art inside the Dolmabahçe Palace is commissioned by Abdülhamit II the son of Sultan Abdülmecit. According to some records, the clock was built by Sarkis Amira Balyan, brother of the palace architect Nikoğos Balyan. In some records, it is mentioned that it was built by the Balyan brothers together. This work of art, the construction of which dates back to 1890-1895, is located between the Imperial Gate of Dolmabahçe Palace and the Bezmi Alem Valide Sultan Mosque. All sides of the clock are equal and it is a 4-storey building. The clock room of the Clock Tower, which is 27 meters high from the ground, is on the last floor of the building. By means of the pressure gauge and thermometer located on the building, it is possible to see the time and climate indicators at the same time.By adding the four barometer clock faces to the building in 1898, it was enabled to measure pressure and temperature values.This clock tower, which has become the symbol of the city, has a unique appearance with its tugras both on the land side and on the sea side.

In the Clock Tower, the stones of the Aziziye Mosque, the construction of which was not completed due to dethroning of Sultan Abdulaziz, was used and the Clock Tower was built in an eclectic style. Although the clock tower has 94 steps, the stairway landings form the floor covered with a geometrically shaped form colored stones. Despite the many ornaments and magnificence on the first floor, the second floor can be said to be made simpler. The third floor of the clock is decorated with a barred balcony. The clock on each side of the work of art is made in France and is branded by Paul Garnier. The clock, which was partially converted to an electronic system in 1979, is still operational. The last floor, where the clock room is reached by stone steps, starts with a balcony and ends with a hilly.