Principal entrance to the Sultans new palace at Constantinople - from a photograph taken for the Prince of Wales by Mr. F. Bedford, 1862. The new palace on the Bosphorus, erected for the late Sultan Abdul Medjid, now forms one of the most conspicuous buildings of the city, and it is the more remarkable on account of the character of its architecture, in which the modern classical style of Western Europe has been to a great extent adopted, but in which the predominating features, consisting of the columns and massive cornices of the pseudo-classic styles, have been strangely but sometimes beautifully mingled with features of a truly Oriental character...many of the architectural details of the grand entrance gate...are of Oriental character, both in the style of ornament and in the multitude and richness of their details. They are, indeed, of a style almost approaching that of Hindoo architecture, and yet blend harmoniously enough with the palladian character of the main features...The first architect employed, and upon whose designs the great mass of the external building and the internal decorations were executed, was an Armenian, M. Balyan. More recently an Italian architect, M. Fossati, was associated in the direction of the works. From "Illustrated London News", 1862.