Dolmabahçe Palace is the first European-style building constructed in Istanbul, and was built by the Sultan Abdul Mejid I between 1843 and 1856.
It is located in the European part of the city, overlooking the Bosphorus facing the city of Uskudar. The palace was the Ottoman Empire’s main administrative centre from 1856 to 1922. It has been a museum since 1984 which traces the history of the Ottoman Empire and the new republic.
In a collaboration between Turkish and Italian authorities, the building underwent a major restoration in 2008, in which IBIX also took part. The objective of the intervention was to promote an integrated approach to the cleaning that would take best advantage of technology for architectural conservation.
IBIX technology was used for the finishing work of the cleaning interventions. Kufeki stone, the construction material of the Dolmabahçe, has peculiar properties which required special attention to ensure maximum respect for the historic patina with the utmost respect of the surfaces. Calcium carbonate, the base material of limestone, and water mist were used for the intervention. A perfect level of cleaning was obtained, in compliance with the requirements of the preservation groups involved in the restoration.