Topkapi Palace: The Living History and Luxury
Topkapi Palace is the palace where was used as the headquarters of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years out of 600 years, and where sultans had lived. Over 4000 thousand people lived in it. Then the priorities changed and the sultans moved to Dolmabahce Palace and Yildiz Palace.
Topkapi Palace covers a large area that has a great view of the Marmara Sea, the Bosphorus, and the Golden Horn. The area which the palace is spread, Sarayburnu, used to be the Byzantian acropolis. The mosaics from the Great Palace of Byzantium is exhibited at the Museum of Great Palace Mosaics. From the palace, you can also see some of the city walls.
History
Topkapi Palace was made built by Sultan Mehmed II in 1478. It was originally 700.000 m2 in total. (Today it is 80.000 m2.) The palace was opened to visit as a museum at the reign of Abdulmecit. It was opened to public in October 9th, 1924 by the decision of Ataturk. It is one of the most important buildings in the Historical Peninsula, which is a part of UNESCO World Heritage List.
Sections
You enter the palace from the Imperial Gate. There are different doors opening to different buildings. There are four yards in total. At the first yard, there is the area where the regiment used to gather.
The buildings around the palace are: Otluk Gate, Balikhane Gate, Haseki Bath, Regiment Kiosk, Zeynep Sultan Mosque, Sogukcesme Gate, Hagia Sophia, Ahmet III Fountain, Ahirkapi Lighthouse, Pearly Kiosk, Wooden Gate, Main Garden, Sevkiye Kiosk, Ministers Gate, old boat houses, Sepetciler Mansion, Yali Kiosk, Iron Gate, Yalikosku Gate, New Mint, Mint Kiosk, Gulhane Kiosk, the Column of Goths, Tiled Kiosk, Revan Kiosk, Baghdad Kiosk, Kiosk of Osman III, Sofa Kiosk, Lala Garden.
The buildings inside the palace are: the Imperial Gate, the kitchen wing, the Imperial Building, Submission Chamber, Fatih Kiosk, Hekimbasi Chamber, Agalar Mosque, Internal Treasure, Raht Treasure, Main Barn, Kubbealti (under the dome), the Library of Ahmed III, Circumcision Resting Room, and the Kiosk of Murad III. (Kiosks make you sigh and dream how it would be to live at any of those.)
Harem part is inside the palace; however, you have to buy an additional ticket. It is a little bit expensive, compared to the whole palace, but it is worth to see where the odalisques used to live.
Sacred Relics Chamber
This section is very important for the Islamic world. Sultans used to visit it on every Ramadan. (I also visited it at Ramadan, following the tradition.) The relics were brought from different Islamic states to Istanbul, after Sultan Selim's conquest of Egypt in 1517.
The relics that are being exhibited in the chamber are: the mantle of Muhammed, the golden chest where the mantle is kept, the foot print of Muhammed, hairs from the beard of Muhammed, part of Muhammed's tooth, soil from the grave of Muhammed, the seal of Muhammed, the sandals of Muhammed, the handle of His sword, His swords, arch and bow, the swords of Davud, Ibrahim, Yusuf, Ali, Ebu Bekir, locks and keys from Kaaba, a door from Kaaba, the container of the Black Stone, the mantle of Fatma...
Normally, taking photos is strictly forbidden, but everybody tries to take a secret shot.
Spoonmaker's Diamond
This is one of the most famous 22 diamonds in the world. It is 86 carat, and it is decorated with 49 diamonds. It is exhibited at one of the Treasure Chambers. The origin of its name isn't for sure, but the most logical explanation that its shape looks like a spoon. How the diamond reached to Topkapi Palace is also a rumour. Some people say it was bought from Napoleon's mothers, whereas some others say that it was found by a spoon seller who didn't know the real value of the diamond. The museum also holds this story.
It is also forbidden to take photos of the diamond and other treasures, but taking secret photos of the diamond is much more harder. It is like the Mona Lisa of the Topkapi Palace, so it is very well protected.
Where is Topkapi Palace?
Topkapi Palace is almost next to Istanbul Archaelogical Museums, and Gulhane Park. So, you can reach there like you reach those places. The Kabatas-Bagcilar tram has both Gulhane and Sultanahmet stops. Either ways, you'll have to walk a couple of minutes. You can look around the old city, while you're walking.
