Topkapi Palace. topkapi sultan palace in istanbul

Travel organization| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Museum map of Istanbul| Topkapi

Topkapi is the main attraction of the Sultan's Istanbul. It's like Red Square in Moscow Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Colosseum in Rome. Topkapi Palace can be called a kind of city within a city that hides a huge number of secrets: great Ottoman deeds were done there, from there the Sultan ruled almost half of the world.

On the first day of traveling around Istanbul, of course, we went to the Topkapi Palace.

How to get to Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace is located in the center of the historical part of Istanbul Sultanahmet. It is impossible to pass by, but here, just in case, a link to the map.

History of Topkapi Palace

As you know, Topkapi Palace since 1467 was the residence of the Ottoman ruling family. The Topkapi area is huge complex buildings, equal to about half of Monaco. This is a kind of city inside Istanbul, which has been created for centuries: courtyards, pavilions, mosques, fountains, baths and pools. Take at least 4 hours to visit Topkapi, because every tourist should see all this. And do not spare the extra 15 lire - be sure to go to the Harem.

Topkapi Palace began to be built under Sultan Mehmed II Fatih. It was he who in 1453 managed to conquer impregnable Istanbul, or rather Constantinople. Of course, the Suotan immediately became preoccupied with the question of where his palace would be located. The dilapidated palace of the Byzantine emperors was not to the taste of Mehmed II and he ordered to build a residence on the third city hill. However, the sultan preferred to live in Edirne, from where it was much more convenient to lead the campaigns and conquests of Europe. And the palace turned out to be too small for the broad sultan's soul.

The new palace, or Topkapi, began to be built on Cape Seraglio in 1463, apparently due to its strategically good location overlooking the Golden Horn and the Sea of ​​Marmara. By the way, I read in one of the guidebooks that there was a Byzantine acropolis at the construction site.

The construction of Topkapi was completed in 1467 and the Sultan immediately moved to the palace. However, Topkapi was used as a place for official receptions until the end of the 16th century. The women remained in the old palace, in Edirne.

Topkapi remained the official residence of the Ottoman sultans until 1839, when Sultan Abdul Merjid I moved to the new luxury palace Dolmabahce overlooking the waters of the Bosphorus.

The name Topkapı is a modern version, meaning literally "cannon gate". However, the Ottomans called Topkapi Sarai Cedit-i-Amire or, more simply, the Palace of the Sultans.

During the heyday of the Ottoman Empire, about 4,000 people lived in the palace. Now the palace complex is a museum, consisting of the palace itself, four courtyards and a harem building.

I will divide the tour of the Topkapi Palace into parts:

On the way to the palace
First courtyard
Second courtyard
third courtyard
fourth courtyard
Harem

On the way to Topkapi Palace

The palace is located in the heart of Istanbul - in the Sultanahmet district. We rounded Hagia Sophia and saw the rich gate through which the Sultan from Topkapi Palace passed to Hagia Sophia for Friday prayers.

Along the walls of Topkapi are lovely wooden houses that have been restored and opened in them hotels, restaurants and cafes. If you go along this street, you will come to the Basilica Cistern. But we are now interested in Topkapi, where we are purposefully going.

Before entering the gate, look out for the Rococo or so-called Ottoman Baroque fountain of Ahmed III.

Well, finally we found ourselves at the entrance through the Highest Gate (Bab-i Humayun), from which the territory of Topkapi begins. The inscription above the gate says that it was built under Sultan Mehmed II, and rebuilt under Mahmud II and Abdul Aziz. The barracks of the gatekeepers previously stood on both sides, and there was a tower above the gate.

The gates opened with the first call to prayer and closed with the last. And only foreign ambassadors and viziers had the right to enter through this gate on horseback. We didn’t have horses, and we’re weakly pulling at the viziers, so we chapa on foot ... and now, a couple of steps and the idiot’s dream comes true - WE ARE IN TOPKAPI!

First Courtyard of Topkapi Palace

The first courtyard of the Topkapi Palace is located between the highest gate and the Gate of Welcome. Previously, the first courtyard was used as a place to store coal, hay, firewood, there was a bakery, a mint, a Janissary hospital and a water supply service for the palace. Today, the ticket office of the Topkapı Museum is here.

By the way, about the cost of visiting the Topkapi Palace.

We bought a museum card (Istanbul museum pass) at the Topkapi ticket office, which is valid for 72 hours and costs 72 lira (about $ 35). Firstly, it gives you the right to skip the line to museums, and secondly, it saves money (more about the Museum Pass).

You can buy a separate ticket to visit Topkapi (25 lira) and to enter the Harem (15 lira). It’s hard to say whether you’re lucky or not with the lack of a queue, so I recommend buying a ticket online - https://www.muze.gov.tr/buy_e_ticket

If you decide to buy tickets to Topkapi on the spot, then do not forget that tickets to the Harem are sold directly near the entrance to it.

The main attraction of the first courtyard is the oldest church in Istanbul, St. Irene. Moreover, it is considered one of the oldest Christian buildings in the world. Despite the fact that the church is located inside the walls of the palace, it has never been converted into a mosque. This is strange, of course, because the Turks have always been big fans of covering everything up, setting up minarets and turning a Christian church into a mosque.

Over time, the Janissaries arranged a weapons storage in the church, maybe that's why now there is a museum of weapons. And thanks to the excellent acoustics, from time to time concerts and various exhibitions are held in St. Irene.

So, we finally came to the box office, which was located in front of the entrance to the second courtyard, in front of the Welcome Gate. You have probably seen these gates in advertising booklets. The welcome gate is the centerpiece of the palace, supported by octagonal towers and lancet windows. These towers were built by Sultan Suleiman I the Magnificent. No one, except the Sultan, had the right to pass through the gate on horseback.

Second Courtyard of Topkapı Palace (Diplomatic)

The fountain located in the Second Courtyard is noteworthy. It is called the executioner's fountain because they washed their hands in it after the execution. By the way, the heads of the executed were exhibited in this courtyard.

There are 6 paths leading from the Gate of Welcome (from right to left):

1. Path leading to the Sultan's stables

The stable usually contained about 30 thoroughbred horses. We did not reach the stable, so we did not see the chief groom's room, where the precious harness of the royal family is now on display.

2. To the harem

You can talk about the harem endlessly ... therefore, I will talk about it in a separate report. .

3. To the meeting room of the Privy Council

The council usually met on Tuesdays immediately after the end of the morning prayer. The nobles were dressed in elegant attire and the courtyard turned into an important political platform. The Divan building was built under Suleiman the Magnificent and consisted of several interconnected rooms: the Council chamber, an office for drafting court documents and the office of the Grand Vizier.

Maybe the Council was secret, but not for the Sultan. The room had a special lattice window, behind which the sultan hid and eavesdropped on what his subjects were talking about. Yes, and the territory was perfectly visible from the tower, which towered over the Divan.

Adjacent to the Sofa is the Armory (former treasury). From time immemorial, the state treasury and the personal property of the Sultan were kept here. All the generous gifts that the Sultan received from all over the world were also brought here.

4. To the gates of happiness (to the Third Courtyard)

The Gate of the White Eunuchs or the Gate of Happiness leads to the Third Court of Topkapı.

5 and 6. To the palace kitchen (now there is an exhibition of dishes)

Topkapi Palace had three kitchens. In the main palace kitchen, a detachment of cooks (from 800 to 1,000) cooked daily for 4,000 people. In the neighboring building there was a confectionery (khelvakhane), because the Ottomans were noble sweet tooth. Well, a separate room was occupied by the kitchen, where dishes were prepared for the Sultan's family.

Currently, ten rooms in the kitchen house the largest exhibition of Chinese and Japanese porcelain after Peking and Dresden.

Topkapı Third Yard (Enderun)

Enderun means "inner". Here were the chambers of the Sultan, where he did his daily business, away from the harem. In the houses surrounding the courtyard, pages lived, who from childhood were specially brought up to serve the Sultan. These boys had a chance to move up the career ladder to the position of khas odala aga or even to the vizier himself. 40 pages were divided into several categories:

Khas odals aga - pages who were trusted to guard the relics of the Prophet Muhammad

Khazine aga - guarded the treasury

Seferli aga - were responsible for bathing the Sultan

Killerli aga - were responsible for the food of the Sultan

The third courtyard welcomes guests with an audience hall. The Sultan, sitting on a throne with pillows, received here the Grand Vizier and important foreign ambassadors. And so that no one could eavesdrop on conversations, a murmuring fountain was installed near the entrance.

The next magnificent building of the Topkapi Palace is the library of Sultan Ahmed III.

A beautiful building with many windows arranged for the Sultan to read. I think it's great to collapse on the sofas.

There is a chic fountain in front of the entrance to the library.

In the eastern part of the Third Courtyard there is an exhibition of clothes in the building of the school of pages. Here you can see the robes of the sultans, which are made of expensive fabrics and lavishly decorated with the most expensive stones. Bathrobes in Istanbul were sewn from a special fabric that was produced in Bursa, and they were of two types. Everyday dressing gowns looked somewhat more modest than formal ones, which were decorated with jewels and furs.

After the death of the Sultan, his clothes were neatly folded into the treasury and aired every spring.

The Pearl of the Third Court is a treasure chest. Imagine, there are no copies in the treasury, all the exhibits are genuine, although it is hard to believe. Photography is prohibited in the treasury, so take my word for it - it's cool there! Can you imagine a throne embroidered with 25,000 pearls? And the famous 20 carat diamond? By the way, it is the fifth largest in the world. Among other things, in one of the halls you can see paintings depicting sultans. Basically, these are copies of European paintings, because Islam forbade the image of a human face.

Another unusual complex of rooms is the halls where sacred relics are kept. The basis of the collection was brought in the 16th century after the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Sultan Selim I.

It is not allowed to take pictures in these halls, which is monitored by vigilant guards. But I took a few photos, because these halls are considered one of the best in Topkapi.

What are the sacred relics, you ask? The halls of the palace display personal relics of the Prophet Muhammad and relics of other prophets, caliphs and Muslim saints. For example, one of the pride of the collection is the personal mantle of the Prophet Muhammad, which fell into the hands of Selim I. The age of the holy mantle is about 1,400 years and it has been carefully kept since the 16th century in a golden ark, exhibited on a silver pedestal. Every year on the 15th day of Ramadan, the Holy Robe was visited by the sultan, the viziers and the inhabitants of the harem.

It is generally accepted that the Prophet Muhammad had 9 swords, 2 of which are now kept in the Topkapi Museum. In addition, in Topkapi you will see a letter on a leather patch, written by the prophet himself, his seal, banner, footprint and even a tooth, beard and mustache.

Of the valuable things belonging to other prominent figures of the Muslims, swords, handwritten Korans and various relics from the Kaaba have been preserved. We were lucky, and at the time of examining the relics, a live sound was heard in the premises, someone was reading the Koran. It is both a mesmerizing and frightening feeling.

Fourth courtyard of Topkapı Palace.

Climbing up the stairs, we saw the Divan Mosque.

Next is the Majida Palace, which is the latest building in Topkapi. This is a kind of parting gift of Abdul Mejid I, which he made Topkapi shortly before moving to the new Sultan's Dolmabahce Palace. The palace is not at all typical for the Ottomans, it is more like European palaces. This is not surprising, because European culture had a significant impact on the tastes of the Ottoman sultans. See for yourself, this palace is fundamentally different from everything else in Topkapi.

An important building for the Sultan's family was the chamber of the chief physician. There used to be a pharmacy here, where they prepared all sorts of "potions" for the Sultan's court. I think that women also got poisons to poison each other here.

The stairs lead to Topkapı's only wooden building, the Sofa Palace or Pavilion with Terrace. Initially, these rooms served as a place of rest, and later turned into rooms for guests.

Audio guide and map of Topkapi Palace

I think that many will agree with me - going to museums is much more interesting in the company of a Russian-language audio guide. Fortunately, Topkapi has this same audio guide.

You buy a ticket, go inside and see a small kiosk where you can rent an audio guide for a deposit and 15 lira (about $7). The deposit can be 50 euros or a passport.

Here they give a Russian audio guide to Topkapi

Together with an audio guide, we were given a diagram of the Topkapi Palace.

Download the scheme-plan of the Topkapi Palace

The construction of the Topkapi Palace was started in 1460 by the order of Sultan Fatih after the conquest of Constantinople. The construction site was next to the Hagia Sophia Mosque. The construction was completed in 1478, after which the palace was used as an administrative, educational and artistic center of the Ottoman Empire for the next four 4 centuries. Topkapı Palace was surrounded by Gülhane Park, hiding it from city structures. The total area of ​​​​the Topkapi Palace is small - only 30 hectares. Four courtyards of Topkapi, protected by fortress walls, were successively located on this territory. In the middle of the 19th century, the sultan dynasty moves to the more modern Dolmabahçe Palace. The old Topkapi Palace loses its functions on April 3, 1924 and turns into the first museum of the Republic of Turkey. The museum's collection of 300,000 items has unique cultural values, including porcelain, silver and gold items, portraits, weapons, jewelry and gifts, as well as the imperial treasury.

First courtyard at Topkapi Palace

Bab-i-Humayun is the main monumental gate to the former Topkapı Palace in Istanbul. Now the entrance is free, but according to the schedule. On the left is the church of Hagia Irene (the prototype of Hagia Sophia). Alai Square, located in the first courtyard, is the largest in the palace and is surrounded by external service buildings, in the past - a bakery, workshops, a hospital, etc. All ceremonies took place on Alai Square, for example, the return of the Sultan from a military campaign. The church of Hagia Irene was converted into a weapons storage and military museum. Also on the right in the first courtyard are the ticket offices where entrance tickets to the Topkapi Palace are sold.

Second courtyard at Topkapi Palace

The Gate of Greetings (Babüsselam) is the second monumental door leading to the Topkapı Palace. At the moment, you can enter it only with an entrance ticket or a MuseumPass card. The inner part of the courtyard (Divan Square) for many centuries served as a ceremonial center in the life of the eastern empire. State decisions were made in a special building - Divan-Humayun. Nearby rises the Tower of Justice. Attention should be paid to the exhibition of weapons. Finally, in this courtyard there is an entrance to such an important structure as a harem, with its own cash desk (be sure to bring an audio guide in Russian).

Third courtyard at Topkapi Palace

The Gate of Happiness (Babüssaade) led to the third courtyard of the palace. Behind them was the courtyard, the personal territory of the Sultan in the Topkapı Palace. Here were the personal mosque of Agalar, the Ahmed library and the treasury of the empire. The entrance here was strictly limited, however, especially important persons and guests were honored to be received in the audience hall. In addition, the courtyard had its own observatory and a school for the education of the nobility. Today, the most interesting museum expositions are located here. Experienced tourists immediately go to the third courtyard in the morning to avoid tedious hour-long queues.

The storerooms of the museum are the most interesting expositions. Attract the attention of the Kashikchi diamond, an incredibly large size; a box filled to the brim with large emeralds; the Topkapi dagger, which has no price in terms of the number of precious stones; various orders and decorations of the sultans; the authentic throne of Sultan Suleiman Kanuni. It is difficult to take a high-quality photo due to the fast movement and menacing shouts of the museum attendants. However, we have found interesting photographs for you.

Photos of things of the sultans (artifacts) in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul

Fourth courtyard at Topkapı Palace

The fourth courtyard of the palace was the place of concentration of recreation areas and walks of the Sultan. From each of their three sides, picturesque views of the Sea of ​​​​Marmara, the Bosphorus and Halich opened up. On the territory there were small private green recreations - the Fig Garden and the Elephant Garden. In addition, from here it was possible to go to Gulhane Park (near the column of the Goths). The fourth courtyard was decorated with two marble fountains. But the real decoration is the pavilions, in which the ruler of the empire could relax with his retinue without fear of being seen. Until now, the strict beauty of the tea kiosk is striking. Hungry visitors can dine in a small restaurant with a wonderful view of the Sea of ​​Marmara and ships sailing through it.

How to get to Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul, buy a ticket worth 40TL Turkish Lira. If you want to visit the Harem, you will have to fork out another 25TL. The entrance to the cathedral is located within the boundaries of the Fatih district, on the historical peninsula of the Turkish metropolis. You can use the metro, tram and Marmaray lines to get to the museum from anywhere in the city. Getting off at the Sultanahmet stop of the T1 tram, follow to the Hagia Sophia Museum, rounding it on the right, go to the first, Imperial Gate. For those who use Marmaray to come to the museum from the Asian part of the city, you should get off at the Sirkeci Station stop and go to the Cağaloğlu-Vilayet exit. Next, take tram T1. If you arrive by private transport, leave it at the numerous parking lots in the Sultanahmet area or right in front of the first gate to the palace.

Entrance fee to Topkapi Palace?

To enter Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul, buy a ticket worth 40TL Turkish Lira. If you want to visit the Harem, you will have to fork out another 25TL. Entrance to the Cathedral of St. Irene costs another 20TL. In other words, the total costs per person fly away for 1000 rubles. Tickets can be purchased in cash if you wish with a credit card. Children under the age of 18, adults over 65 and the disabled can visit the Topkapi Palace Museum free of charge. you can find detailed information about who can visit the museum for free on the official website of the museum. If you do not want to spend time standing in line (sometimes up to 30-40 minutes), especially on holidays and weekends, purchase a MuseumPass card, which entitles you to free admission to the museum and other special discounts. However, the card does not work to enter the Harem!

Photo of a number of buildings in the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul

We didn’t have a special plan for visiting the sights in Istanbul, so we started our excursions from the Sultanahmet quarter. What impressions we had after I described earlier. After Hagia Sophia, we rested a little on the benches of the park and headed to the Topkapi palace complex, which is located right there, to the right and a little deeper from the main entrance to the cathedral. Yes, we are a bit tired of emotions after visiting Hagia Sophia. However, when they arrived at the square in front of the entrance to the Topkapi Palace, they were again amazed - the Sultan's fountain, made in the best traditions of Islamic architecture (openwork, light, richly decorated), a close view of Hagia Sophia and its two minarets, chic main gates, the widest fortress wall - everything is very monumental, grand, interesting.

Square in front of the Topkapi Palace

Opening hours and the first courtyard of Topkapi Palace

The entrance to the Topkapi Palace, or rather through the main gate to the first courtyard, is free, only armed soldiers stand at the entrance, however, as well as inside. At the same time, the view from the park to the Bosphorus and the Asian side of Istanbul is simply amazing.

The time of visiting the museum, as always, differs depending on the season. During the summer period (from mid-April to mid-October), Topkapi Palace is open from 9.00 to 18.45, and the ticket office is open until 18.00. In winter, the museum is open until 16.45, and the ticket office - until 16.00. Day off - Tuesday. For the whole day, the museum is closed only one day a year - on Ataturk Memorial Day. And on the first day of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, you can get into it from 13.00 to 19.00.

For those who don't know anything about Topkapi Palace

If you are traveling on your own and you do not want to overpay for the services of a guide, then before visiting Topkapi, you need to be savvy about its significance, structure and attractions, so that it is clear where to look and what to look for.

The Topkapi Palace structurally consists of several courtyards, since, in fact, it was not just the place of residence of the Sultan and his family, but the administrative, cultural, and financial center of the entire Ottoman Empire. The plan of the palace complex is well presented on the official website of the Topkapi Museum. The first courtyard could be reached through Imperial Gate(Bab-i-Humayun). It focused on economic, service premises- palace hospital, bakery, workshops, chemical laboratory (!). A smaller number of visitors could enter the second courtyard of the palace through the Gate of Greetings (Bab-us-Selam). It contained the entrance to the harem, the building where the sofa sat, the Tower of Justice (the sultan could not attend the meetings of the sofa, but listen to him through a special passage from the tower), the treasury, palace kitchens (their pipes are immediately visible from the sea). The Gate of Happiness (Bab-us-Saade) led to the third courtyard, immediately behind which was the audience hall, in which the Sultan received especially important guests. This courtyard was otherwise called the inner or "enderun", since the chambers of the Sultan opened into it. It also contained a treasury, a school for the future nobility, and an observatory. In the fourth courtyard (the newest) was broken beautiful park and pavilions were built in which the Sultan rested with his family and associates.

Topkapi Palace was not founded immediately after the conquest of Constantinople by Sultan Mehmet, but only in 1475 on the site of the old imperial palace. Prior to this, the rulers of the empire lived in the palace on today's Bayezid Square, from which nothing has survived. And their harem was located near Hagia Sophia on the territory of the future Topkapi complex (now it is the Tiled Pavilion). For quite a long time, the women of the Sultan and he himself lived separately, and only at the beginning of the 16th century was a large-scale reconstruction of the Topkapi Palace carried out and a new harem complex was built, in which there were a female half and a male, but now they were nearby.

The Topkapi Palace remained the official residence of the Sultans until the middle of the 19th century, until the Sultan's family moved to the Chiragan Palace, and then to Dolmabahce.

Exploring the Topkapı Palace: the chambers of Valide, the wives and concubines of the sultans

After watching the Turkish series “The Magnificent Century”, you expect something more ambitious from the harem in the Sultan's palace, because Topkapi is the largest palace complex of that time. However, its size, furnishings and decoration are much more modest than presented in the series. Maybe the restoration, which is going on at an active pace, will fix this, but it will not expand the corridors and will not increase the rooms of the harem, and will not add light to them. How up to 1000 women fit there, I can’t imagine.

So, the entrance to the harem of the Topkapi Palace begins with the premises for the eunuchs. I would say that they are more like cells, everything is quite ascetic, although the courtyard is decorated very pleasantly with blue tiles, it is cool and pleasant to be there after the city scorched by the sun. Then you find yourself in the inner corridors of the harem, at the entrance to which there are two gorgeous huge mirrors decorated with gold. Then we went to the chambers of the Valide Sultan (mother of the current Sultan), which are not distinguished by special luxury (but maybe restoration?). A harem hammam is available for inspection, traditionally made in light marble. However, in general, the impression is not something that is oppressive, but not very joyful. Still, the girls, first of all, were slaves and lived like slaves, although they did not starve and did not wear cast-offs.

I didn’t notice the rooms similar to the chambers of the sultanas (including Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska) and the beloved concubines that we all saw in the TV series “Roksolana”, but maybe they are closed for restoration (many passages and doors are locked), or maybe they were just artistic invention.

Sultan's quarters of Topkapı Palace

More luxury and sophistication, of course, in the chambers of the heirs to the throne and the Sultan himself. Although Andrei said that he had the impression that he was moving from one bathroom to another, more colorful one))). This is all because they are mainly decorated with tiles with a predominance of blue and light blue - Sultan's colors. Before the invention of synthetic blue, its production was very expensive, so afford to use it in decoration in in large numbers Only very, very rich people could. However, I liked it - wonderful murals, bright colors so far, the finest work, and besides, it’s cool, which was facilitated by the fountains placed everywhere. Small faucets were located even in the slopes of the windows to cool the air coming from outside.

One of the most luxurious is the room for receptions. By the way, it also contained a passage to the underground corridor, through which the Sultan, in case of danger, could leave the Topkapi Palace and sail to the sea.

Promenades and Courtyards of Topkapi Palace

The courtyards of the complex differ depending on who had the right to walk there. The courtyard for simple harem concubines is very modest. There is nothing special there, it is fenced with a tall wall so that no one except the Sultan could see the girls; Sultan's courts (and there are several of them) are simply wonderful. In the first one there is a rotunda so that the Sultan can admire the moon (it is written there). I also introduced myself as a sultan and admired, but not the moon, but the opening view of the entrance to the Golden Horn - very beautiful, you can stand there for hours.

And here is a short video about the interior decoration of the palace chambers.

Visitors of the Sultan - pashas, ​​foreign nobles, could get into the second courtyard of the palace, and it looks like a park, in which it turned out to be very pleasant to walk.

But there is one more place where you don’t want to leave at all. After passing through the Sultan's chambers, which were constantly being completed with various pavilions, we went out to the observation terrace. From it you can see the foot of the complex, going down to the fortress wall and the waters of the Bosphorus. There were many tourists who were taking pictures, sitting on the railings and at the bases of the columns, so my oohs were immediately lost in the emotions of other people. And there was something to be impressed with - a gorgeous view of the sea, in the future, the strait, Asian and European Istanbul. It is a pity that the photo does not convey the full scale and beauty of this spectacle.

We spent the most time there. I immodestly took a comfortable place and just looked and looked at all this beauty. Andrey managed to film everything he wanted to and also get to know the Ukrainians (the only time we met compatriots was there), discuss the political situation in the country with them, but everything was not enough for me. I wanted to break off some and take it with me.

Treasures of Topkapi Palace

Quite tired, we went down again to the courtyard and saw a line in one of the interior rooms. It turned out that people are standing to see some treasures and this is included in the ticket price. I persuaded Andrey to stand and look, because the word "treasures" had a bewitching effect on me. And we didn't regret it! You can search the Internet for “Topkapı Treasures” (do it right now)). Because we entered the first hall completely unprepared, and our knowledge of English did not allow us to understand normally what was in front of us. However, the phrases “sword of David”, “staff of Moses”, “cloak of Mohammed”, “finger of Mohammed” (if I am not mistaken in the part of the body, there were several of them) made us think that what we see are unique things. I didn't even know they could survive. Robes of the Prophet and his wife (very modest), household items, footprint. Then, attention! the hand of John the Baptist! I left the first hall, so to speak, a little "hit". Then there was the second hall - precious stones, gold and products from them. The highlights for me were:

1. The cut diamond of Kashikchi (Spooner) is slightly smaller than a chicken egg and is one of the largest in the world. According to legend, it was found by a vagabond in a rubbish heap in the ruins of Tekfur Palace and sold to a spoon maker for three spoons. Then he was bought by a jeweler for 10 silver coins and then he got to the Sultan.

2. A box with emeralds (for crafts of the Sultan). And the world's largest emerald in the world is stored in a treasury.

3. Various jewelry with a myriad of diamonds, emeralds, rubies.

4. Richly decorated Topkapi dagger. There is also about him interesting story. It was made as a gift for the Persian king. However, when the Sultan's ambassadors arrived at the Shah's court, he had already been overthrown, and the need for a gift had disappeared. So the dagger returned to Topkapi and now adorns the treasury.

5. Orders awarded to sultans.

6. Golden horse harness with a huge ruby ​​and more.

7. Several thrones of the sultans, studded with huge gems and covered with gold plates.

8. And so, “little things” - elegant gold sets, various precious boxes, figurines, mechanical toys.

Too bad you couldn't watch it as much as you wanted. The security guard (attention, one security guard!) strictly ensured that people did not linger near the exhibits and did not create a crush. At the same time, the exhibited is only a small part of what is in the museum's vaults! In general, I recommend everyone to visit this exhibition. I forgot that I was tired, I want to drink and eat.

After that, we wandered around the territory a little more, but it was already almost 6 pm, and the Topkapi Palace was closed for visitors. I wanted to go there again, but according to the museum map, the attraction can be visited only once. It’s a little insulting, I would have looked at the treasury with great pleasure and plunged into the atmosphere of the Topkapi Palace))).

Topkapi Palace is a magnificent architectural monument of the 15th century. This majestic palace complex was erected on the initiative of Sultan Mehmet in 1479. For several centuries in a row, Topkapi was considered the main residence of the rulers of the Ottoman state. Today it is a wonderful museum complex, which should be seen by everyone who at least once happens to visit Turkish lands.

The name "Topkapi" in translation into Russian means "cannon gate". This name is justified by a historical fact: whenever the padishah went outside his monastery, shots of cannons were heard, which spread over the district for several kilometers.

The palace architecture is extremely interesting. Topkapi includes 4 equal courtyards at once, each of which is famous for its unique sights. The yards have a clear division, but at the same time they are all united by a high stone wall surrounding them.

First courtyard (Alay Meydanı)

One of the main attractions of the First Courtyard, called the "Courtyard of the Janissaries" by Europeans, is the Church of St. Irene. This is one of the first Christian shrines in Constantinople, which for a long time served as the main abode of the patriarch. The church suffered several times from various disasters (fire and earthquake), but was invariably restored. Even after the Ottoman conquerors came to these lands, the church building was not deprived of its Orthodox status, which is surprising, because usually the Turks converted Christian churches into mosques. Ottoman warriors for a long time (for 3 centuries) used the shrine as an armory. In the middle of the 19th century, a museum complex of antiquities and weapons was opened here.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the museum exposition was disbanded, and today the Church of St. Irene (Aya İrini or Aya Irina) is increasingly being used as a concert venue because of the magnificent, mesmerizing acoustics. At the same time, the building has not lost its charm over the years and continues to attract tourists from all over the world.

Welcome Gate (Babüsselam)

Of particular interest are the Orta Kapı (Babüsselam or Welcome Gate), also located in the First Courtyard. Through them you can get to the Second Palace Courtyard. Historical facts testify that through the vault of these gates, framed by two tower columns, only the ruler himself had the right to enter on horseback. The rest had to walk. Foreign guests of the residence used other gates to enter. This was carefully monitored by the gatekeepers. On one side of the gate was a waiting room where visitors could wait days or even weeks for an audience with the padishah. On the other side - the executioner's room, who, by the way, had another position - the head gardener. Under the gate, in the dungeon, there were prison cells in which prisoners sentenced to death were kept.

Sultan's Entrance (Babıhümayun)

It is also interesting to admire the architecture of another gate leading to the First Courtyard. This is the third ceremonial gate, bearing the name "Entrance of the Sultan" (Babıhümayun).

Second courtyard (Divan Meydanı)

Topkapı's second courtyard is known as Divan Square. This territory was used most often for holding important receptions and ceremonies of a national scale.

Sofa (Divan-ı Humayun)

In this courtyard was the "Divannaya" (Kubbealtı or Divan-ı Hümayun), where several times a week high-ranking viziers led by the padishah gathered to resolve matters of national importance.

Tower of Justice (Adalet Kasrı)

Above Divanna rises a magnificent tower in beauty and grandeur, bearing a very bright and capacious name - “Tower of Justice” (Adalet Kasrı), which originally served as an observation post.

Treasury (Dış Hazine)

The main asset of the Second Courtyard of Topkapı after Divannaya is, of course, the Treasury (Dış Hazine). Today, a weapons museum complex was founded in its building, which exhibits a whole arsenal of weapons from various historical periods, as well as samples of military uniforms and other paraphernalia used for uniforms.

Third Court (Enderun Avlusu)

Third courtyard (Enderun Avlusu)

Another gate with the attractive name "Gate of Bliss" leads to this courtyard. Another name for them is the audience gate. Passing through them, the visitor found himself in a huge throne room, above which towered the golden throne of the padishah, adorned with precious stones. The sultan sat on it. All the rest, according to tradition, were placed directly on the floor, on special pillows. In order not to hear what was happening in the hall outside the door, a small but loudly murmuring fountain was built right next to the entrance.

Library of Ahmet the Third (III. Ahmed Kütüphanesi)

The central part of the courtyard is decorated with the library of Sultan Ahmet III (III. Ahmed Kütüphanesi). Once upon a time, real treasures of ancient literature were kept here. Today, books are featured in other museum displays, but the library building is definitely worth a visit to admire the amazing Ottoman architecture. Here you can also see an amazing collection of wardrobe items of the padishah. One of the most expensive exhibits is the children's caftan of Sultan Selim, as well as the attire of Mehmed the Conqueror, who, according to scientists, is more than 5 centuries old.

Treasury of the Sultan (Enderun Hazinesi)

But, of course, the most attractive place for the traveler of the Third Court of Topkapi is the Treasury of the Sultan (Fatih Köşkü or Enderun Hazinesi). The diversity of the collection of countless treasures of gold, silver and gems is amazing! One of the most notable and expensive exhibits is the military armor of Mustafa the Third. The chain mail, made of iron, is decorated with a scattering of precious stones and covered with a layer of gilding. The shield and sword of the Sultan are inlaid in the same way.

Throne of the Padishah

The real “pearl” of the treasury is the throne of padishah Murat the Fourth. It itself is made of rare ebony, and precious and semi-precious stones are scattered around its perimeter.

Topkapi Dagger

In another room there is another important exhibit - the Topkapı dagger (Topkapı hançeri). It was made by Turkish craftsmen as a present to the Shah of Persia. Many diamonds and several large emeralds adorn this dagger. True, he never reached the addressee. While the gift was on the way, the shah was killed, so Topkapı's dagger was returned to the treasury.

Diamond Kasikchi

Also in the treasury is a huge Kasikchi diamond (Kaşıkçı elması), the history of which is very interesting. According to legend, a poor man discovered this stone in a huge pile of rubbish. Of course, the commoner did not know how valuable the gem was, and exchanged it in the market for 3 wooden spoons. Since then, the stone has been called the Spoon Diamond.

This is not all the exhibits of the Topkapi treasury. All the splendor of the rooms is difficult to describe in words, you need to see it with your own eyes at least once!

Fourth courtyard (Dördüncü Avlu)

Fourth courtyard (Dördüncü Avlu)

This courtyard is an example of harmonious beauty and peace. It was built exclusively for the rest and solitude of the padishah, so it looks more like a marvelous garden of Eden. From here, magnificent views of the Sea of ​​Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Princes' Islands open up.

Bagdat Pavilion (Bağdat Köşkü)

There are many terraces and pavilions on the territory of the courtyard, the most notable of which are the Bagdatsky and Revan pavilions, as well as the Sunnet room.

Sunnet Odası

The Sünnet Odası room, as the name implies for those who have at least a superficial understanding of Muslim traditions, was intended for the obligatory circumcision of the Sultan's heirs.

Revan Pavilion

The Baghdad Pavilion (Bağdat Köşkü), as well as the Revan Pavilion (Revan Köşkü) are magnificent monuments of Ottoman architecture, in the form of which one can trace the influence of the Persians. The buildings are light and elegant, but at the same time they look luxurious and monumental. Exquisite tiles that adorn the walls of the pavilions literally from top to bottom, you can look at for hours and find more and more new details in them.

Opening hours of the Topkapi Palace Museum and the cost of visiting in 2020

You can purchase Topkapi Palace tickets which provide skip-the-line entry, a floor plan of the palace and necessary information from a representative who will guide you in the shortest way

On Tuesdays, the museum is closed, and on the first day of Bayram it is open from lunch.

Price entrance ticket 72 Turkish Lira.

The entrance to the Harem is open every day except Tuesday and is paid separately - the ticket price is 42 Turkish lira.

For Museum Card holders, admission is free.

Audio guide - 45 lira.

In winter from October 2 to April 1: Topkapi Palace Museum, Harem and Hagia Irene open from 09:00 - 16:45 (tickets until 16:00)

During the summer period from April 1st to October 2nd: The Museum, the Harem and the Church of St. Irene are open from 9:00 - 18:45 (tickets until 18:00)

Church of St. Irene is open to the public from 9:00 to 17:00. The entrance ticket costs 30 Turkish lira. The box office closes after 4:00 pm.

When visiting religious sites, try to adhere to the established dress code: short shorts and miniskirts, as well as open blouses and strapless tops are not welcome.

It is forbidden to enter the museum with prams.

There are several restaurants on the museum grounds.

Karakol Restaurant

In the First Courtyard, this is the Karakol Restaurant, as well as a small cafe BKG Müze’nin Kahvesi. There is also such a cafe in the Second Courtyard.

Restaurant Konyaly (KonyalI lokantasI)

In the Fourth Courtyard is the Konyaly Restaurant (Konyalı Lokantası), which offers a magnificent view of the Bosphorus.

How to get to Topkapi Palace:

From the Sultanahmet station, you need to walk past the front of the Hagia Sophia Museum (Hagia Sophia), following the signs towards Topkapi Palace.

The majestic, monumental and luxurious Sultan's Topkapi Palace (Top Kapi) in Turkey, like a magnet, attracts tourists from all over the world.

Entering there, you will plunge into the world where twenty-five Turkish sultans once lived and ruled. It is better to set aside a whole day for a trip around the palace. You won't be able to see everything in a snap.

So before you go to an amusing trip around the palace, we advise you to read our article so as not to lose sight of anything.

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History of Topkapi Palace in Istanbul

For four decades, the heart of the Ottoman Empire was "Top Kapy", Turkey, the palace (photo of the harem in our article just below) was ordered to be built by Sultan Mehmed. This happened in the 70s of the 15th century, but after that the Sultan's Topkapi Palace constantly "grew" and changed. Initially, several mosques, a mint, hospitals and a bakery were built.

For the first fifty years, Top Kapy was only a working residence. The sultan's wives lived in a harem outside the Topkapı Palace. The harem on the territory was built only under Sultan Suleiman I. One of his concubines, Roksolana, wanting to be closer to her husband, "pushed" the Sultan to a large-scale restructuring of the palace.

Almost until the end of the 19th century, Turkish sultans lived in the palace. And only Abdulmejid I, in 1854, decided to move to new palace Dolmabahce. With the coming to power of Turkey's first president, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, in 1923, Topkapi became a museum, which is now visited by hundreds of tourists every day.

From Turkish, the name Topkapi is translated as "cannon gate". This name of the residence of the sultans was not given by chance. The first thing that falls on the eyes of all visitors is the majestic gate that opens access to the heart of the castle. When the sultan entered the palace or left it, a cannon shot was heard. There are more in Turkey that are worthy of your attention.

as if small city in Turkey, the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, a photo that amaze with its wealth and beauty, was equipped with everything necessary for life. It is so huge (its area is more than 170 hectares) that there was everything from mosques and sultans' offices to hospitals and Janissary barracks.

The population of Istanbul is increasing every day several times, so that the country may soon become a leader in terms of numbers. Click here and find out how it all started.

You may also be interested in such an attraction as the Sultan Suleiman Palace in Istanbul, which you can learn more about.

The territory is divided into four courtyards. You can also get into each of them through the monumental gate. Passing through the main gate, you will see a huge fountain, which was built on the orders of Padishah Ahmed III in 1728.

Further, through the "Brilliant Gates" you will enter the first courtyard. Here you can see the gendarme office, various living quarters, as well as the ruins of a bakery. Be sure to visit the "Archaeological Museum" of Istanbul and the building of the mint. On the territory of the first courtyard there is a church.

To get to the second courtyard, you will need to go through another gate called "Bab- and Selyam". There is also a magnificent garden with cypresses and a tower that once served as a prison for convicted high-ranking persons.

Of particular interest to tourists are the Palace Kitchens. Here food was prepared for the sultans, and almost a quarter of the entire palace staff worked. Today in the halls of the kitchens you can see the rarest collection of porcelain. The oldest exhibits date back to the seventh century, these are dishes from the Tang Dynasty. The most valuable are products made of white porcelain.

The Topkapi Palace in Istanbul houses one of the world's largest weapons collections. For those who are interested, we advise you to take a look at the collections of Islamic frescoes and manuscripts.

The exposition of jewels and jewelry is truly unique. Golden candlesticks, hookahs, luxurious ivory boxes, as well as the famous "Kashikchi Diamond" - these are just a small part of what you can see in the complex of the inner treasury.

It will not be superfluous to look at the collection of Sultan's caftans. Clothing and silk prayer carpets are truly works of art.

Harem deserves special attention. The high wall with which it is surrounded used to hide the concubines from the eyes of strangers. There was everything for the comfortable life of the Sultan's wives: two mosques, Turkish baths, kitchens and even a swimming pool. Visitors will be able to see collections of luxurious jewelry and clothes, and take a walk near the fountains. Istanbul amazes with magnificent numerous,. I want to see all the sights, this will help you.

We have collected the most interesting and significant places in the Topkapi Palace, you will find photos of all the rooms of the Istanbul Palace in our selection.

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