Ishak Pasha Palace – The Last Great Palace of the Ottoman Empire

İshak Pasha Palaceis one of the must-see places in eastern Turkey. Located in the Doğubeyazıt district of Ağrı, the palace draws attention as the last great palace built in the Tulip Age of the Ottoman Empire and the only Ottoman palace in Anatolia, while its legends were on the agenda with its recent and highly criticized restoration. How to get to Ishak Pasha Palace, what is the entrance fee, If you are wondering about the legend, this article is for you, have a nice read!

Where is Ishak Pasha Palace? 

Ishak Pasha Palace is located in Doğubeyazıt district in the province of Ağrı in the Eastern Anatolia Region. It is a magnificent structure built on the rocks, 7-8 kilometers from Doğubeyazıt district center, overlooking Doğubeyazıt plain and Doğubeyazıt, with its back to Doğubeyazıt Castle. 

How to Get to Ishak Pasha Palace? 

If you ask how to get to İshakpaşa Palace; You can go to Ağrı, Kars or Van by plane and reach Doğubeyazıt from there. THY and Pegasus Airlines have flights to Ağrı from İstanbul, Ankara and İzmir. You can check flight times on airline companies' websites. There are airport shuttles from Ağrı Airport to Doğubeyazıt. The journey takes about 80 kilometers, or 1,5 hours. Road quality is extremely good.

After reaching Doğubeyazıt, you have different options to reach İshakpaşa Palace.

1. You can reach Ishak Pasha Palace by taxi from Doğubeyazıt city center for 20 TL. It is possible to arrange a 20-hour taxi with 20 TL departure, 10 TL return, and 1 TL waiting fee. These prices are for 2019, you can get the current prices by bargaining with the taxi drivers.
2. During the peak season, there is a shuttle service from the city center to the palace. Taxi is the only option when we go in winter. 
3. Another option is to go by renting a private car. When you come to Ağrı, renting a car seems to be the best alternative to see the places to visit. You will need to reach many places outside the palace by car.
4. If you come to Ağrı with a tour, you can visit both the palace and the important places to see within the scope of the tour.

I will share the details of my experience on my first visit to İshakpaşa, as we came to Doğubeyazıt from Kars and passed from Doğubeyazıt to Van. 

Transportation from Kars to Doğubeyazıt, İshak Paşa Palace

There is not much information on the internet about the transition from Kars to Doğubeyazıt, luckily you found my blog, you are very lucky. When I asked the staff at the hotel we stayed in Kars, they weren't even sure. There is no direct vehicle going from Kars to Doğubeyazıt. You can go to Iğdır first and get there by taking Doğubeyazıt vehicles from Iğdır. 

Serhat Iğdır company goes to Iğdır from the districts bus station located in the city center of Kars. Every day between 08:00 in the morning and 17:00 in the evening, there are 7 buses except Sunday, 6 vehicles go on Sundays. We got on the car at 08:00 in the morning to reach İshakpaşa before it was too late. For bus times, you can call the company from the phone below.

Serhat Iğdır company phone: 0474 212 43 83

The distance between Kars and Iğdır is 111 kilometers and the journey takes about 2,5 hours. The ticket price for the 2,5-hour journey was 2019 TL in February 25. The best part of this journey; from a certain point to be constantly in front of you by watching Mount Ararat in all its splendor. 

Traveler's Note: The most beautiful views of Mount Ararat The views you see coming from the direction of Iğdır, don't miss it. You can also see both big and small Ararat from Noah's Ark.

When you reach Iğdır, you have to walk for 200 meters between where Kars bus stops and where Doğubeyazıt minibuses depart. Whoever you ask, they show it, it's on the same street. If our time was not limited, I would love to spend some time in Iğdır. After Kars, Iğdır is a very modern and well-kept city. It is also possible to find plenty of fruits and vegetables, since it is different from all other provinces in this region in terms of climate. Even though my eyes were on the liver restaurants on the roadside, we were sent to Doğubeyazıt Minibus Office because we had to continue on our way.

They said that the Iğdır-Doğubeyazıt minibuses leave every half hour, but as far as I can tell, they leave as they get full, so we set off immediately, without waiting even 10 minutes. It takes about 1 hour from Iğdır to Doğubeyazıt. We reached Doğubeyazıt before 12:00. 

Telephone of Iğdır-Doğubeyazıt Minibus Office: 0476 227 00 25 or 0535 275 85 41 

We took a taxi from Doğubeyazıt to İshak Paşa Palace. We agreed with the taxi driver for 1 hour of waiting, but it was not enough for us, I suggest you to agree for at least 2 hours. Because the palace is large and you have to go up the hill behind the palace to take pictures. There are also other places to see around the palace, such as the Urartian Castle, the Old Beyazıt Mosque, the Ahmedi Hani Tomb, the Ahmedi Hani Museum. You shouldn't miss them while they're gone. When I added these places on my second visit to İshakpaşa, I spent 4-5 hours there. Keep these in mind when planning and negotiating with a taxi.

Transportation from Doğubeyazıt İshak Paşa Palace to Van

There are 5 vehicles per day from Doğubeyazıt to Van. In a side street in the city center, there is a minibus terminal where minibuses depart. These minibuses do not depart from the bus station. When you get off the minibus, it is useful to mark the place where you got off on google maps because it is somewhere in between.

There are minibuses from Doğubeyazıt to Van at 06:30, 08:00, 12:00, 15:00. We tried to move fast to catch the last one. The journey between Doğubeyazıt and Van takes about 2,5 hours and the ticket price is 30 TL. We were very lucky with the weather when we were there, Tendürek Mountains between Doğubeyazıt and Van could not pass from time to time, the journey time may be longer depending on the weather conditions. 

Ishak Pasha Palace Entrance Fee and Visiting Hours 

Ishak Pasha Palace entrance fee is 2020 TL for 10. If you have a Museum Card, you can visit it for free. 

Ishak Pasha Palace opens at 08:00 in the morning, closes at 3:14 in the winter (17 October-00 April) and can be visited until 19:00 in the summer period. Visiting start times may change during the pandemic period, it is useful to call and check before you go, because the hours on the internet may not be up to date. It was open between 10:00-19:00 during the September period we went.

Ishakpasa Palace Phone: (0472) 215 32 17

Ishak Pasha Palace Features

Ishak Pasha Palace has historical importance as it is the last great Ottoman Palace built in the Tulip Era. The construction of the palace, which was completed in 1784 AD, took 99 years. Although Çolak Abdi Pasha started the construction of the palace, II. It was named after Ishak Pasha as its construction was completed during the reign of Ishak Pasha. However, this beautiful palace did not bring good luck to Ishak Pasha, it disturbed the empire because it competed with Istanbul and had a palace built for itself, competing with Topkapi, and was sent into exile.

The palace was built as a complex, not just a palace. Spread over an area of ​​7600 square meters, the palace was built as 3 floors. All the buildings were gathered around two intertwined courtyards. The Harem room was built on the model of Topkapi Palace. The palace has an eye-catching beauty with its magnificent wall reliefs in the harem section, and door decorations in the form of a crown. Today, the strongest structure in the remaining part of the palace is the mosque of the palace.

Although the palace is now far from Doğubeyazıt, the city used to be located around the palace.

First Palace Heating System

The place where the palace is located is one of the coldest places in our country. The system used to heat the palace is considered to be the first heating system used to heat the palace in the world. It may be more accurate to say that it is a heating system rather than a heating system. The smoke from the fireplaces was allowed to circulate through the rooms with pipes placed inside the walls. There are places that are clearly shown so that this system can be seen while visiting the palace. If you look carefully, you cannot miss it.

Ishak Pasha Palace Architectural Features

The building, which was influenced by Ottoman, Seljuk, Persian and Turkmen architecture, synthesized all these cultures. The different structures inside the palace, which took 99 years to build, were built in different architectural styles. While the dome of the mosque is similar to the Turkmen architecture, the main portal is under Persian influence. The stonework in the palace, where Armenian masters mostly work, is astonishing.

In addition, in the architecture of the palace, moisture-proof black volcanic stones formed from the lava residues of Mount Ararat near the ground were used. These black stones were used to add color to the decoration of the ceremony hall.

Trees of life, medallion patterns, animal and human figures that we are not accustomed to seeing in Ottoman architecture are among the stone works. Another remarkable element is the Iraqi writings called Kufic. You can see geometric shapes and writings in many parts of the palace.

You can see the sections in the İshakpaşa palace below:

• Sentence Gate
• Waiting Rooms
• Surveillance Rooms
• the Hammam
• Kitchen
• Harem Chamber
• Has Garden (closed to visit)
• Observation Terrace (closed to visitors)
• mosque
• Madrasa Rooms
• divanhane
• dungeons
• Grain Warehouses
• Ceremony and Entertainment Hall
• Tomb
• Guard Wards
• Carriage and Backgammon Sections

The stonemasons working in the İshak Pasha Palace left their signatures on the places they had made. Nearly 120 signatures were found in the palace.

Ishak Pasha Palace Mosque

I mentioned that the most intact structure in the Ishak Pasha Palace today is the mosque. It draws attention both with its dome from the outside and the most distinctive structure of the palace, as well as the fact that it is completely preserved from the inside. The interior of the mosque is as interesting as its exterior, with the carvings made of madder on the ceiling, the stonework on the wall. The onion dome of the mosque was designed by Ahıska architects.

It is also possible for those who want to pray inside, women are required to cover their heads when entering the mosque.

Ishak Pasha Palace Milk Fountain

When you enter the palace garden, there is a fountain on your left side, this fountain is called “milk fountain”. It was once said that water flowed from one of the two faucets in the fountain and milk from the other. It is said that the milk was transported here from a plateau 5 kilometers away. Of course, milk did not flow every day, milk was distributed on special days and holidays.

Ishakpasa Palace Dungeons

In the northwest corner of the palace, there are dungeons descended with 21 stairs. These are the dungeons mentioned in Yaşar Kemal's The Legend of Mount Ararat book. Dungeons are ranked from the entrance to the end, from those with less penalties to those with higher penalties. The dungeon at the end did not have an entrance door in the original structure, now the door has been made for display. Prisoners were hung from a window on the top of the dungeon with a rope. The corpses of the prisoners who died in that cell remained there, the new prisoner remained among the corpses of his predecessors. Think how long it can last. PAJaubert, known as Napoleon's secret agent, mentioned these dungeons in his travel book.

The Size of Ishak Pasha Palace

Dungeons, working rooms, harem rooms, kitchen, harem, selamlık, inner and outer courtyard are the main parts of the palace. It is worth noting that it was a much larger palace than it appears today, with its 360 rooms, 115×50 meters dimensions and 3-storey structure.

Ishak Pasha Palace Harem Section

The most beautiful and impressive part of Ishak Pasha Palace is the ceremony hall located at the entrance of the harem section. The inscriptions on the walls and the stonework of the hall are simply magnificent. There are convex mirrors inside the wall niches you see on the left in the photo, and those working from the windows on the left would see the deficiencies on the table and serve them accordingly.

An important feature of harem rooms is that each room has its own bathroom.

In addition, the toilet in the harem section is the only one in the palace that has survived to the present day.

Urartian Castle, Old Beyazıt Mosque and Ahmed-i Hani Tomb

Around the Ishak Pasha Palace, there are the Urartian Castle, Goat Hole and the Old Beyazıt Mosque, which were built before the palace. You can even walk from the palace, it's not too far. However, if you want to climb the Citadel, you need to take some time.

The Most Beautiful Photo Spots of Ishak Pasha Palace

There are great photo spots where you can take the entire Ishak Pasha Palace from the outside:

1. You can shoot the palace together with the Doğubeyazıt plain from the highest point, from the place called the goat hole, located on the top of the Urartu Castle.
2. You can take it from the garden of the Old Beyazıt Mosque, but this angle is the worst view of the ceiling placed during the restoration, I would say choose this place last.
3. You can still shoot from the top of the Urartian Castle or the exit points to the castle.
4. There is a cafe right above the palace called Paraşüt. Although it is not open at the moment, you can take photos from there. The photos you see with snow were taken from there.

To take beautiful photos inside the palace, your first choices should be the following places;

1. The Ceremony Hall at the entrance of the harem,
2. Divan (Mabeyin Hall) where important people or foreigners are hosted,
3. inner courtyard,
4. Crown door

The palace is so photogenic that you can spend hours taking pictures.

The Legend of Ishak Pasha Palace

There is a story told as the Legend of Ishak Pasha Palace, I am sharing it as a quote below:

According to rumors, the King's daughter Gülbahar falls in love with Shepherd Mehmet. The king opposes the marriage of his daughter to a shepherd, and he cannot let this situation into his kingdom. It is started to be spoken from language to language among the people. İshak Pasha is disturbed by the conversations spreading around and starts to look for a solution.

İshak Pasha shows the Shepherd Mehmet the Mount Ararat, says, “You go to the highest peak of Mount Ararat and light a fire there, then I will give my daughter to you” and he thinks that he cannot do it. Shepherd Mehmet climbs Mount Ararat and lights the fire. Seeing this, İshakpaşa becomes uneasy, starts to brood and waits. Even if he doesn't want it anymore, he will have to give his daughter away. İshakpaşa waits, 2 days pass, but Shepherd Mehmet does not come. Then they learn that Shepherd Mehmet died after lighting the fire. Learning this, Gülbahar is devastated and says to her father, "Dad, make a dungeon for me, so he won't see Mount Ararat." His father also had the İshak Pasha Palace built. Ishak Pasha Palace does not see Mount Ararat from any of its façades. Thus, Gülbahar's dungeon becomes her father's palace.

Although the above story is similar to the story in Yaşar Kemal's book The Legend of Mount Ararat, it does not exactly match. While writing his book, Yaşar Kemal may have written his own legend by listening to the legends of the people of the region. While the name of the girl mentioned in the story is the same, there are details such as the shepherd's name being different and the endings of the story different.

The Legend of Mount Ararat by Yaşar Kemal 

In the legend in Yaşar Kemal's book The Legend of Mount Ararat, the sad love story of the Inn's daughter Gülbahar and the shepherd Ahmet is told. This time, the subject of the legend in the book is the love story of Gülbahar, the daughter of Bayazıt Governor Mahmut Pasha, and the shepherd Ahmet.

I will not tell the story here. You can find Yaşar Kemal's The Legend of Mount Ararat book on the internet for a cheap price of only 10 TL. I recommend you to read it before you go to İshakpaşa or after you return. The book is a thin book, it reads like water.

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You should definitely read the book The Legend of Mount Ararat, and if you find the movie adapted from the same book, in which Memduh Ün is the producer and director, starring Fatma Girik and Hakan Balamir, I suggest you watch it.

When you come to Doğubeyazıt Kars or a FROM Take a look at my articles, maybe you can plan there too.

Stay on track!