The White Palace, the residence of the Turkish President, has over 1,000 rooms, costing over $600 million to build, and boasts many modern and luxurious amenities.
 |
| Known as Ak Saray (White Palace), the residence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is situated on a sprawling 4-square-kilometer hilltop surrounded by trees on the outskirts of Ankara. The White Palace was completed in 2014. Photo: Anadolu Agency |
 |
| According to the Telegraph, the Turkish presidential palace is larger than the White House in Washington, D.C., the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, and even the Palace of Versailles near Paris, France. Photo: EPA |
 |
| The Turkish presidential palace construction project was controversial because the authorities had to cut down hundreds of trees to clear the construction site. The site was previously a forest reserve left by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Türkiye. Photo: AFP |
 |
| The mansion boasts 1,000 rooms with marble-paved corridors and courtyards, and is equipped with a high-tech security system to prevent electronic eavesdropping devices. Many aspects of the building were designed by Erdogan himself. Construction costs exceeded $650 million, not including the interior furnishings. Photo: Anadolu Agency |
 |
| Environmentalists accuse Erdogan of wasting public funds on the presidential palace project, damaging surrounding green spaces. However, Erdogan remains steadfast in his plan. He once said: "No one can stop this building from being completed. If they are strong enough, let them come and destroy it." (Photo: AFP) |
 |
| A pair of doors for a super-large double-door room in the White Palace costs around $50,000. There are over 400 such rooms. Adding the cost of installing doors for the other 450 single-door rooms, the total cost of doors for the Turkish presidential residence exceeds $34 million. Photo: Anadolu Agency |
 |
| In addition, the cost of carpeting the entire palace exceeded $9 million. Photo: Wikipedia |
 |
| When asked why he wanted a new palace, President Erdogan said the cockroaches in his old office, where he lived when he was Prime Minister of Türkiye, were unbearable. (Photo: Anadolu Agency) |
 |
| Despite the exorbitant investment, many people compare Erdogan's residence to a train station in China. The image shows a conference room in the White Palace. Photo: Wikipedia. |
 |
| The grounds of the White Palace are an ideal location for parties. When construction began, Erdogan declared that only natural Turkish materials would be used for the building. However, according to opponents, the architectural plans show that all materials were imported. The roof came from Germany, while the marble in the reception rooms originated in India. Some other materials were imported from England and France. Even the landscaping in the presidential palace grounds was brought in from Italy and the Netherlands. Photo: Tccb.gov |
 |
| The cost of building the palace reportedly exceeded the initial estimate by more than double. This is also the reason it has faced much criticism. However, Erdogan rejected this, emphasizing that the palace would contribute to enhancing Türkiye's standing on the international stage. Photo: Anadolu Agency |
 |
| The meeting room inside the White Palace. Besides being the residence of President Erdogan, this building also serves as a strategic command and control center. Therefore, the presidential palace became a target of rebel attacks during the coup attempt that broke out on the night of July 15th in Türkiye. Like the White House in the US, the White Palace also has a situation room and bunkers capable of withstanding nuclear, chemical, or biological attacks. Photo: Wikipedia. See also: Two reasons why the Turkish coup failed. |
According to VNE
