A 600 m long building on the Bosporus strongly damaged by moisture
The residence of the Turkish Sultan, the Dolmabahçe Palace, was built in the middle of the 19th century on the shore of the Bosporus in Istanbul. Behind its walls there are 250 rooms and 43 halls, all of which are furnished with the finest rugs and furniture. Other details of the building are also remarkable.
Approx. 14 tonnes of gold were used to gild the ceilings of the palace. The central hall is decorated with the largest chandelier in the world, a present from Queen Victoria of England. Its weight is said to be 4,500kg. The founder of the modern Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, also lived and died in this palace.
But even the substance of this so magnificently furnished palace has suffered throughout the years. Especially the walls in the plinth area, some of which are up to 2 m thick, had become damp, causing subsequent damage to the facades and interior rooms.
The Turkish Department of National Palaces felt it necessary to have repair work carried out. Remmers Baustofftechnik's subsidiary in Istanbul was awarded the contract to carry out the restoration work. After an analysis of the state of the building was concluded, a restoration concept was prepared.
It was determined that most of the damage was caused by rising damp with all of the resulting consequences. This was remedied with the Kiesol Waterproofing System through horizontal injection of the masonry with Kiesol which protects through deep silicification. Mineral waterproofing grouts and a waterproofing filler in the Kiesol System were used as supplements. The measures were concluded with Restoration Render in the Kiesol System.
Today, all of the signs of the earlier damage caused by moisture have been remedied. The building is once again in good condition and a centre of attraction for the locals and tourists from all over the world.
