The 19C sultans, who felt that Topkapi Palace was rather austere, succumbed to the temptation of European modernity and decided to build a more Western palace, mimicking the baroque style fashionable in France at the time. As a result, Dolmabahçe Palace sports a maze of living rooms, parlours and offices, all lavishly adorned in marble, gold and crystal. Look out for the Ambassadors' Hall, the bathrooms, the throne room and the harem.