Ishak Pasha Palace

The Ishak Pasha Palace is more of a complex than a palace; it is the second administrative campus after the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul and the most famous of the palaces built in recent decades.

Ishak Pasha Palace by *saipal

Ishak Pasha Palace which was built on a hill at the Side of a mountain 5 km. east of Dogubeyazit District is the last large monumental structure of the Ottoman Empire in the "Lale Devri" Period. Ishak Pasha Palace is one of the most distinguished and magnificent examples of the 18th century Ottoman architecture and is very valuable in terms of art history. According to the top of the door inscription at the Harem Section it was constructed in 1784 (1199 H.) according to the Islamic calendar.

As the ground building sits on is a valley slope, it is rocky and hard. Despite the fact that it is at the center of the Old Beyazıt city its three sides (north, west, south) are steep and sloped. There is a suitable flat area only to the east. The entrance of Ishak Pasha Palace is on that side, and it is also its narrowest façade.

As Ishak Pasha Palace was built in an age when castles ceased to be special and firearms were developed and were abundantly available, its defense towards the hills on the east is weak. Its main gate is the weakest point in that respect. The structure of the main gate is no different than those seen in the palaces built in İstanbul and elsewhere in Anatolia and has a neat stone workmanship and carving. 

Inner court.Today we have very few examples of the historical Turkish palaces still surviving. One of these is the İshak Pasha Palace and complex.

The palace was built in 1685 by Ishak Pasha II and Colak Abdi Pasha. According to the inscription on its door, the Harem Section the palace was built in 1784. The complex consists of following sections:

Exterior façades

First and second courts

The men's quarter (selamlık)

The mosque

The soup kitchen (Darüzziyafe)

bath

Harem Section

Hall for ceremonies and entertaintment

Arch gates

Panteries and ammunition room

The mausoleum

The bakery

Dungeons

The characteristic property of Ishak Pasha Palace is its combined Ottoman, Persian, and Seljuk architectural style.