Topkapı Palace

Spread across the tip of the historic peninsula, where the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus meet the Sea of Marmara, Topkapı Palace was the heart of the Ottoman Empire for nearly 400 years. Here the sultans lived with their families, received ambassadors and governed an empire that stretched across three continents. Today the palace is a museum of courtyards, pavilions, gardens and priceless collections, and together with Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque it is the essential stop on any Istanbul tour.

History

Sultan Mehmed II began building the palace soon after the conquest of Constantinople, and the main construction was carried out between 1459 and 1478 on the site of the ancient acropolis of Byzantium. Over the following centuries each sultan added new pavilions, baths and halls, so the palace grew into a complex of buildings arranged around four courtyards rather than a single block. Leading architects worked here, including Mimar Sinan, who rebuilt the palace kitchens and designed rooms in the Harem.

In the 19th century Sultan Abdülmecid moved the court to the new Dolmabahçe Palace on the Bosphorus, but Topkapı remained important as the home of the treasury, the library and the Sacred Relics. After the end of the Ottoman Empire it became one of the first museums of the Turkish Republic in 1924. The palace is part of the Historic Areas of Istanbul on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

What to See

You enter through the Imperial Gate beside Hagia Sophia into the First Courtyard, home to the Byzantine church of Hagia Irene. The Gate of Salutation, with its twin towers, leads to the Second Courtyard, where the Imperial Council met under the Tower of Justice. Beyond the Gate of Felicity lay the private world of the sultan.

• The Harem: a maze of tiled rooms, courtyards and corridors, including the Imperial Hall and the Privy Chamber of Murad III.
• The Imperial Treasury: the famous Topkapı Dagger, the Spoonmaker's Diamond and jewelled thrones.
• The Sacred Relics: revered objects of Islam, displayed in the Privy Room.
• Imperial Council (Divan): where the grand vizier and ministers governed the empire.
• Palace kitchens: a vast collection of Chinese porcelain.
• Baghdad and Revan Kiosks: 17th-century pavilions with tiles and views over the Golden Horn.

Visitor Tips

The palace is closed on Tuesdays. Ticket offices open at 09:00 and close at 17:00. The combined ticket for foreign visitors includes the palace, the Harem and Hagia Irene; the Museum Card is not valid for the Harem or Hagia Irene. Plan at least three hours, and start with the Harem or the Treasury early in the day, before the queues build up. There are cafés and terraces in the Fourth Courtyard with superb views of the Bosphorus. A licensed guide makes a huge difference here, bringing the stories of the sultans and the Harem to life, so Topkapı is best visited on a guided Istanbul Old City tour together with Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern.