The palace itself was constructed by Mehmet II (the concoquer) between 1459 and 1465 and was used as the seat of government and the Sultan until 1853.
(Courtyard of the Black Concubines)
Topaki Palace
| The palace is located in the Seraglio Point section of the golden horn. The palace is surrounded by high walls, but the first courtyard is open to the public without admission and contains an archeological museum, a mint, a museum of the orient and the Hagia Erine a Byzantine era church.
The palace itself was constructed by Mehmet II (the concoquer) between 1459 and 1465 and was used as the seat of government and the Sultan until 1853. |
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Gate of Salutations | This gate leads from the first courtyard to the second courtyard, basically you have to pay to go beyond this point. Ticket office is to the right.
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Divan | The vizers of the sultan would meet in this complex of rooms off the second courtyard. |
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Arms Museum | There is a small but very nice "Exhibition" of arms and armor on the north side of the second courtyard. Actually, the arms themselves are exquisit, the presentation sucks. Very dark and dirty considering the contents and the fragility of the armor. Notice the detail on the blade of this sword, once owned by one of the Sultans, can't remember which one. |
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Third Courtyard | Obviously beyond the second courtyard is the progressivly smaller "third" courtyard. In addition to a throneroom and library, the perimiter of this courtyard houses displays of jewlery, mineratures, costumes, clocks and furniture, collectivly referred to as "The Treasury". Again, an additional ticket. I was most impressed with the inlaid chairs. The courtyard also offers access to the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle which contains many religious objects holy to Islam. The building itself is nothing to sneeze at either. No photography allowed.
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Tile detail and a Sultans XXX | This detail is located next to the entrance to the throne room. |
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Entrance to Pavilion of the Holy Mantle | |
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Fourth Courtyard | Overlooks the water. Location of the Konyali Restaurant, good place for an ice creame on a hot day. |
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Detail of a pavilion in the fourth courtyard. | |
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Interior of previous pavillion | |
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Detail of third courtyard colonade | These are black and white smooth stones facing edge up in a bed of morter. I guess this would be problematic in bare feet, but in shoes it's fine. I had never seen this technique before, but did see it elsewhere in Turkey. |
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Iznik Tile Detail | |
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A view towards the Circumcision Pavillion (ahem) | |
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Interior of the Library | |
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Roof shot inside the Library | |
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Inside the Harem
(Courtyard of the Black Concubines) |
Pronounced "Ha-reem" (at least by the guide). It's an additional tour from the palace, sperate times, seperate ticket office, but very much worth it.
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Door detail | |
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Overlooking the Bosphorus from the royal pavillion | |
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Inside the Bahgdad Pavillion | Built in 1639 to celebrate Murat IVs conquest of Bahgdad. |
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Imperial Hall | |
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Golden Room | |
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Harem-Courtyard of the favorites. | |
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