Topkapi Palace | Biivip

After the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, the construction of Topkapı Palace, which was started in 1460 upon the request of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, was completed in 1478. Topkapı Palace, which was not built with all its additional structures at once like Dolmabahçe Palace, expanded with the buildings added until the 19th century.

Topkapı Palace is located in one of the oldest historical districts of Istanbul. Located on the historical Istanbul Peninsula between the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn, the palace is one of the iconic buildings of Istanbul. Topkapı Palace, built on an area of 700,000 square meters on the Eastern Roman acropolis in Sarayburnu, was the administrative, educational and artistic center of the empire for about four hundred years from Fatih Sultan Mehmet to the 31st sultan Sultan Abdülmecid; it has also been the home of sultans. Topkapı Palace, which was gradually abandoned with the move of the dynasty to Dolmabahçe Palace since the middle of the 19th century, has preserved its historical importance and value.

Topkapı Palace, which was turned into a museum on April 3, 1924 after the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, is the first museum of the Republic. Today, Topkapı Palace, which covers an area of approximately 300,000 square meters, is one of the largest palace-museums in the world with its structures, architecture, collections and approximately 300,000 archival documents.

When entered through the Sultanate gate, the palace structures consist of four courtyards with passages and the surrounding architectural structures. Among the palace structures surrounded by gardens and squares, the first courtyard, also known as Alay Square, included the Hagia Irene Church, Mint, Bakery, Hospital, Wood Warehouse and Wicker Quarry.

The second courtyard of the palace is Divan Square, also known as Justice Square, where the places where the state administration takes place. In this courtyard, which has been the scene of many ceremonies throughout history, there is the Divan-ı Hümayun (Kubbealtı) where divan meetings are held and the Divan-ı Hümayun Treasury next to it. In this courtyard, there is also the Justice Tower behind the Divan structure, the entrance of the Harem Department next to the Dome of the Rock, the Zülüflü Baltacılar Ward and the Has Stables.

The third courtyard of the palace is also called the Enderun Courtyard. In this section, there are structures such as the Supply Room, Enderun Treasury, Has Room belonging to the sultan, as well as the structures belonging to the Palace School established during the reign of Sultan Murat III.

In the fourth courtyard, which is the last courtyard, there are pavilions and hanging gardens belonging to the sultan. In this section, there are the Baghdad and Revan Mansions and the Iftariye Kameriye, which are the most outstanding and aesthetically advanced examples of Ottoman classical mansion architecture. At the bottom of the fourth courtyard, the last buildings of the palace, Mecidiye Mansion and Esvab Room, are seen.

Where is Topkapı Palace?

Topkapı Palace is located in the Cankurtaran Neighborhood of Istanbul's Fatih District.

You can reach every point of Istanbul by public transport.

There is a density on weekends because the number of visitors is high. On weekdays you can go on a more relaxed trip.

History

Topkapı Palace is both the home of the Ottoman sultans and the administrative and educational center of the state. The palace,

which was built by Fatih Sultan Mehmet between 1460 and 1478 and where additions were made over time, continued to be the center of life and administration until the mid-19th century. In the early 1850s, as a result of the inability of the existing palace to meet the requirements of the 19th century state protocol, Dolmabahçe Palace was built and after a while, the living and administrative center for the dynasty was completely moved to Dolmabahçe Palace.

Topkapı Palace was converted into a museum by order of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on April 3, 1924, after the Ottoman monarchy was abolished in 1922.

In the plan of Topkapı Palace, courtyards and gardens occupy a large area. The most important structures of the palace are the apartments reserved for state affairs, which are usually located around the courtyards, the buildings and mansions that are the residence of the ruler and the buildings belonging to the officials living in the palace.

Topkapı Palace, which hosted the state administration and the daily life of the dynasty for centuries before the Dolmabahçe Palace, is an extremely valuable historical work in order to understand the Ottoman tradition, dynastic life, the relationship between the society and the palace before the westernization movements in the 19th century.

The construction of Topkapı Palace started in 1460 and the final version expanded with the additions made until the 19th century. In the palace, where a free application is seen as an architectural order, it is grouped into three groups as the Outer Palace, the Inner Palace and the Harem lined up around the courtyards. The inner palace and the Harem constitute the sections where the private and official life of the ruler takes place.

It is seen that the plan of the building was influenced by the Edirne Palace during its foundation. The main lines of the architectural plan of Topkapı Palace, where a similar magnificence was created, were formed by large courtyards and structures of porticoes and service buildings surrounding them.

Service buildings are mostly single-storey and high-domed structures made using stone. The buildings used as residences are mostly made of stone and wood materials, and the domes are covered with lead.

The inner parts and gardens of the palace were enriched with details such as kurna, pool, fountain, sebil, and many cisterns were built. There are walking paths covered with stones in the gardens, which are known to have included sections where animals were fed and raised, such as the lion's house in the past.

Topkapi Palace Museum Sacred Relics

Topkapı Palace is one of the leading museums that attract a lot of attention around the world. The most striking part of the museum is the sacred relics section. Items that are considered sacred in Islam are called sacred trusts. In addition, the sacred relics are located in the Has Room and exhibited here.

The list of sacred relics exhibited from Topkapı Palace is as follows:

Khirka-i Saâdet
The golden chest where the Hirka-i Saâdet is hidden
The footprint of the Prophet Muhammad, his beard, part of his tooth broken in the Battle of Uhud, and also the soil of the grave
In addition, the seal of the Prophet Muhammad (Mühr-ü Saadet), sandals (Nal-ı Saadet), the hilt of his sword, his swords, as well as his arrow and bow
In addition, the letter sent by the Prophet Muhammad to the false prophet and also the prayer rug of his daughter Fatima
Sanjak-i Sharif
The swords of the Companions
Hajar al-Aswad housing
The golden water trough of the Kaaba
The key and locks of the Kaaba
The robe of the Prophet Yusuf
One of the gates of the Kaaba
The pot of the Prophet Abraham
Model of Masjid al-Nabawi
Model of Masjid al-Aqsa
The sword of the Prophet David
The Prophet Moses' Staff

How to get to Topkapi Palace?

To reach Topkapi Palace or the historical peninsula You can allocate VIP vehicles to Biivip.com if you want You can get information from our Whatsapp support line 24/7 and request a reservation.

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You can go to Topkapi Palace by public transport.

To reach from Taksim; You need to take the M2 Yenikapı Metro from Taksim Metro station and get off at the Vezneciler stop. With a walk of about 5 minutes, you will get off at Sultanahmet stop by using the T1 Kabataş Tram Line. Now you have come to the historical peninsula. After this point, you can reach many historical places on foot.

To reach from Yenikapı; You need to take the M2 Yenikapı Metro from Yenikapı Metro station and get off at the Vezneciler stop. With a walk of about 5 minutes, you will get off at Sultanahmet stop by using the T1 Kabataş Tram Line. Now you have come to the historical peninsula. After this point, you can reach many historical places on foot.

Apart from this, you can reach the historical peninsula by public transportation from many points of the city.