Dolmabahce Palace begins at the Medhal Hall which is the main entrance hall of the palace . The hall was serving as a waiting place for guests . It opens to rooms some of which are facing the sea and the others are facing the land . The rooms facing the sea were designated to the leading Ottoman officials like the Grand
Vizier
and state ministers , while the rooms facing the land were designated to be used by various administrators of the palace and the state as well as the members for the House of Representatives (Meclis-i Mebusan) and the Senate (Meclis-i Ayan) .
By entering the Medhal , you can see on either side of the room the Boulle tables which bear on their tops the monogram of Sultan Abdulmecid , the one who commissioned the building of the palace . The monogram of the sultan can be found also on the fireplace . The chandelier hanging in the middle of this room has sixty arms . Hereke fabrics in a royal shade of red are used as upholstery for the furniture and as draperies as well .
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