Museum· Fatih, İstanbul
Topkapı Palace
Topkapi Sarayı
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Four-courtyard palace the Ottoman sultans ran their empire from for 400 years.
Editor's Note
Topkapı Palace, on the Sarayburnu promontory in Istanbul, served for roughly 400 years as the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire and the residence of its sultans. Built by Sultan Mehmed II in 1478, it kept this role for about 380 years until the construction of Dolmabahçe Palace. Once home to nearly 4,000 people, the palace covered about 700,000 m² at its founding and occupies around 80,000 m² today.
Read more on Wikipedia →Highlights
- Historic artifacts and collections distinctive to the region
- Exhibits that reflect local culture
Story
Mehmed II started Topkapı in 1465; thirty sultans ran the empire from its four courtyards over the next 400 years. Each courtyard moved you closer to power: the first held parade grounds and a hospital, the second the Imperial Council, the third the Sultan's private rooms, the fourth a garden of pavilions. The harem alone has 400 rooms. Even the keys here told a story — every door had its own.
Did you know
- The Imperial Council met behind a gold-grilled lattice — the sultan listened in unseen.
- Topkapı's relics include the staff of Moses, the Prophet's mantle, and a tooth said to be his.
- The Treasury holds the world's seventh-largest diamond, the Spoonmaker's, set in 49 brilliants.
Practical info
- Location
- 41.0113°N · 28.9832°E
- Web
- muze.gen.tr
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