Topkapi Palace (Museum)
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Gate Of salutation (Bab-us-Selam)- entrance to 2nd Courtyard
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Impressive view of the Golden horn
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Religious Holiday Celebration (Bab-us-Saade) Gate of Felicity
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Topkapi Palace Istanbul
~ Topkapi is the largest and oldest palace in the world to survive to our day. In 1924 it was turned into a museum at Ataturk's request. Situated on the acropolis, the site of the first settlement in Istanbul, it commands an impressive view of the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. The palace is a complex surrounded by 5 km of walls and occupies an area of 700,000 sq. m at the tip of the historical peninsula.
~ Topkapi Palace was the Ottoman's second palace in Istanbul. Its construction was started in 1459 and completed in 1478. As each succeeding sultan ascended to the throne, he added parts to the palace, indicating to us the different tastes and styles of architecture of four centuries. The changes were made for reasons of practicality, to commemorate victorious campaigns, or to repair damage caused by earthquakes and fire. Topkapi Palace housed each of the Ottomon Sultans from Sultan Mehmed 11 to Sultan Abdulmecid, nearly four centuries and 25 Sultans. In 1924 the palace was turned into a museum.
~ Topkapi is the largest and oldest palace in the world to survive to our day. In 1924 it was turned into a museum at Ataturk's request. Situated on the acropolis, the site of the first settlement in Istanbul, it commands an impressive view of the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. The palace is a complex surrounded by 5 km of walls and occupies an area of 700,000 sq. m at the tip of the historical peninsula.
~ Topkapi Palace was the Ottoman's second palace in Istanbul. Its construction was started in 1459 and completed in 1478. As each succeeding sultan ascended to the throne, he added parts to the palace, indicating to us the different tastes and styles of architecture of four centuries. The changes were made for reasons of practicality, to commemorate victorious campaigns, or to repair damage caused by earthquakes and fire. Topkapi Palace housed each of the Ottomon Sultans from Sultan Mehmed 11 to Sultan Abdulmecid, nearly four centuries and 25 Sultans. In 1924 the palace was turned into a museum.
Life At The Court
~ In the daily life at the palace, silence prevailed. The focal point of the court was the Sultan, whose life was very simple. In addition to his regular daily activities, in order to broaden his perspective, he gathered scholars, ppoets, artists and historians to the palace. Most Ottaman sultan themselves were skilled artists or craftsmen. They commissioned new works, manuscripts and calligraphers, poets, archers, riders, cirit (javelin)players, hunters, composers, etc.
~ In daily life at the palace, silence was expected. People tried not to unneccessarily disturb the Sultan, and they tried to keep their voices down.It was even said that in doing so, people of the court sometimes developed a body language system among themselves.
~ First Courtyard which was open to the public, was the service area of the palace consisting of a hospital, a bakery, an arsenal, the mint, storage places and some dormitories. The Byzantine Church of Hagia Eirene was located here too.
~ Second Courtyard also called Divan Meydani, was the seat of the Divan (Imperial Council Hall) and open to anyone who had business with the Divan. This was the administration center of the empire. In addition to the Divan, there were also the privy stables and kitchens. In the kitchens today, a collection of Chinese Porcelain which are accepted as the third most valuable in the world, are on display along with authentic kitchen utensils and both Turkish and Japanese Porcelain.
~ The Harem Of the Sultan. The Harem was not a prison full of women kept for the the Sultan's pleasure. It was actually the Sultan's family quarters. security in the harem was provided by black eunuchs. Valide Sultan (Queen Mother) was head of the harem. She had enormous influence on everything that took place there and frequently that influence extended to her son as well.
~ The palace purchased some of the young and beautiful girls in harem. Others were presented as gifts to the sultan from dignitaries or the Sultan's family. When this girl entered the harem, they were throughly assessed.
~ Among the girls there were four main classes : Odalik (servant), Gedikli (one of the sultan's twelve personal servant), Ikbal or Gozde (Favorites who allegedly had affairs with the sultan), and Kadin or Haseki Sultan (wives who bore children of the sultan)~ A Haseki Sultan was promoted to Validate Sultan when her son ascended to the throne. She then became the most important woman. After her, in order of importance came the sultan's daughters.Then came the first four wives of the sultan who had given birth to children. Their degree of importance was in the order in which their sons were born. The wives had conjugal rights and their own apartments. The favorites also had their own apartments. But others slept in dormitories.
~ Girls were trained according to their talents in plying a musical instrument, singing, dancing, writing, embroidery and sewing. Many parents long for their daughters to be chosen for the harem. The girls can visit their families or just go for a drives in covered carriage from which they could see out from behind their veils and curtained windows. They could also organized parties up on the Bosphorus or along the Goldern Horn.
~ when a Sultan died, the new sultan would bring his own harem, which meant that the former harem was dispersed. Some were sent to old palace, some stayed as teachers, or some older ones were pensioned off.
~ In the daily life at the palace, silence prevailed. The focal point of the court was the Sultan, whose life was very simple. In addition to his regular daily activities, in order to broaden his perspective, he gathered scholars, ppoets, artists and historians to the palace. Most Ottaman sultan themselves were skilled artists or craftsmen. They commissioned new works, manuscripts and calligraphers, poets, archers, riders, cirit (javelin)players, hunters, composers, etc.
~ In daily life at the palace, silence was expected. People tried not to unneccessarily disturb the Sultan, and they tried to keep their voices down.It was even said that in doing so, people of the court sometimes developed a body language system among themselves.
~ First Courtyard which was open to the public, was the service area of the palace consisting of a hospital, a bakery, an arsenal, the mint, storage places and some dormitories. The Byzantine Church of Hagia Eirene was located here too.
~ Second Courtyard also called Divan Meydani, was the seat of the Divan (Imperial Council Hall) and open to anyone who had business with the Divan. This was the administration center of the empire. In addition to the Divan, there were also the privy stables and kitchens. In the kitchens today, a collection of Chinese Porcelain which are accepted as the third most valuable in the world, are on display along with authentic kitchen utensils and both Turkish and Japanese Porcelain.
~ The Harem Of the Sultan. The Harem was not a prison full of women kept for the the Sultan's pleasure. It was actually the Sultan's family quarters. security in the harem was provided by black eunuchs. Valide Sultan (Queen Mother) was head of the harem. She had enormous influence on everything that took place there and frequently that influence extended to her son as well.
~ The palace purchased some of the young and beautiful girls in harem. Others were presented as gifts to the sultan from dignitaries or the Sultan's family. When this girl entered the harem, they were throughly assessed.
~ Among the girls there were four main classes : Odalik (servant), Gedikli (one of the sultan's twelve personal servant), Ikbal or Gozde (Favorites who allegedly had affairs with the sultan), and Kadin or Haseki Sultan (wives who bore children of the sultan)~ A Haseki Sultan was promoted to Validate Sultan when her son ascended to the throne. She then became the most important woman. After her, in order of importance came the sultan's daughters.Then came the first four wives of the sultan who had given birth to children. Their degree of importance was in the order in which their sons were born. The wives had conjugal rights and their own apartments. The favorites also had their own apartments. But others slept in dormitories.
~ Girls were trained according to their talents in plying a musical instrument, singing, dancing, writing, embroidery and sewing. Many parents long for their daughters to be chosen for the harem. The girls can visit their families or just go for a drives in covered carriage from which they could see out from behind their veils and curtained windows. They could also organized parties up on the Bosphorus or along the Goldern Horn.
~ when a Sultan died, the new sultan would bring his own harem, which meant that the former harem was dispersed. Some were sent to old palace, some stayed as teachers, or some older ones were pensioned off.
Topkapi Palace Layout
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At the Imperial Gate with Mr Security
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The Ukrainian Harem's girl ~ become the most loved wife of Sultan Sulaymen The Magnificant
| “I gave my orders —
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