The building has a
Greek cross shaped groundplan and two storeys high, although since the building straddles a
declivity, only one floor is visible from the main entrance. The exterior glazed bricks show a
Central Asian influence, especially from the
Bibi-Khanym Mosque in
Samarkand. The square, axial plan represents the four corners of the world and symbolizes, in architectural terms, the universal authority and sovereignty of the Sultan. As there is no Byzantine influence, the building is ascribed to an unknown
Persian architect. The stone-framed brick and the polygonal pillars of the façade are typical of Persia. A grilled gate leads to the basement. Two flights of stairs above this gate lead to a roofed colonnaded terrace. This
portico was rebuilt in the 18th century. The great door in the middle, surrounded by a tiled green arch, leads to the vestibule and then to a loftily domed court. The three royal apartments are situated behind, with the middle apartment in apsidal form. These apartments look out over the park to the Bosphorus. The network of ribbed vaulting suggests
Gothic revival architecture, but it actually adds weight to the structure instead of sustaining it. The blue-and-white tiles on the wall are arranged in
hexagons and triangles in the
Bursa manner. Some show delicate patterns of flowers, leaves, clouds or other abstract forms. The white plasterwork is in the Persian manner. On both wings of the domed court are
eyvans, vaulted recesses open on one side. ==Gallery==