and... The Topkapi Palace & Harem

 History

Topkapi Palace was not only the residence of the Ottoman sultans, but also the administrative and educational center of the state. Initially constructed between 1460 and 1478 by Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople, and expanded upon and altered many times throughout its long history, the palace served as the home of the Ottoman sultans and their court until the middle of the 19th century. In the early 1850s, the palace became inadequate to the requirements of state ceremonies and protocol, and so the sultans moved to Dolmabahçe Palace, located on the Bosphorus. But despite this move, the royal treasure, the Holy Relics of the Prophet Muhammad, and the imperial archives continued to be preserved at Topkapi, and—since the palace was the ancestral residence of the Ottoman dynasty as well as the place where the Holy Relics were preserved—Topkapý continued to play host to certain state ceremonies. Following the abolishment of the Ottoman monarchy in 1922, Topkapi Palace was converted into a museum on 3 April 1924, on the order of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

topkapi palace plan

After the conquest of Constantinople, Sultan Mehmed II (r. 1444–46, 1451–81) had a palace built in what is modern-day Istanbul’s Beyazýt district, on the spot where the University of Istanbul stands today; this first palace subsequently became known as the Old Palace (Eski Saray). Following the construction of the Old Palace, Mehmed II then had the Tiled Kiosk (Çinili Köþk) built, followed by Topkapý Palace itself, to which the court relocated when construction was complete. Mehmed called this place the New Palace (Sarây-ý Cedîd). The palace received its current name when Sultan Mahmud I (r. 1730–54) had a large wooden palace constructed near the city’s Byzantine walls, in front of which were placed several ceremonial cannons; this seaside palace was named the Cannon Gate Palace by the Sea (Topkapusu Sâhil Sarâyý), and, when this palace was destroyed in a fire, its name was transferred to Mehmed II’s New Palace.

Topkapi Palace, which developed and grew over the centuries, had a design that itself played an important role in Ottoman governmental philosophy and in the relations between the palace and its subjects. When Topkapi was first built, its plan was influenced by the splendor of the Edirne Palace located on the Tunca River, which had been constructed by Mehmed II’s father, Sultan Murad II (r. 1421–44, 1446–51) but very little of which survives today. The basic design of the palace is centered on various courtyards and gardens, around which are arranged offices devoted to state business, the buildings and pavilions serving as the residence of the sovereign, and the buildings set aside for the court employees who lived in the palace.

Sections...                                      


Imperial Gate

This gate, built as the main entrance on the palace’s Hagia Sophia side in the time of Sultan Mehmed II (the Conqueror), bears above it an inscription in Arabic by `Ali ibn Yahya as-Sufi, which reads as follows: “By the grace and assent of God and with the aim of establishing peace and tranquility, this auspicious citadel was built and erected in the blessèd month of Ramadan in the year 883 [November–December 1478] at the command of the son of Sultan Murad, son of Sultan Mehmed Khan, the sultan of the lands and the emperor of the seas, the shadow of God extending over men and djinn, the deputy of God in the East and in the West, the champion of the water and the land, the conqueror of Constantinople and father of that conquest Sultan Mehmed, may God make his reign eternal and exalt his abode above that of the highest stars in the firmament.”

Parade Grounds

The First Courtyard is reached through the Imperial Gate. This courtyard, where various ceremonies and processions were held, was the only part of the palace open to the public. The De`âvî Pavilion, of which only the foundation has survived to the present day, was located near the Gate of Salutation (Bâbü’s-Selâm or “Middle Gate”) and was where the public conveyed their written petitions to the palace.
On the left side of the courtyard stand the church of Hagia Eirene (Aya Irini) and the Royal Mint (Darphâne-i Âmire). It was also here that the Firewood Storehouse, the Wickerworkers’ Headquarters, and the Patriarchate were located; the remains of the latter can be seen behind the administrative building and sentry station, built at the end of the 19th century. On the right side of the courtyard stood the Ministry of Finance; the Palace Hospital;bakeries producing bread and simit for the palace; the Mosque of the Royal Bakery; and employees’ residences. There was also a water tower that contained a fountain and was built in the time of Sultan Mahmud II (r. 1808–39). One of the most interesting structures remaining in the First Courtyard is the Executioners’ Fountain, which can be seen on the right of the Gate of Salutation; here, purportedly, executioners would wash their hands following an execution. It was also in this area of the courtyard that the palace woodsheds were located.
In this courtyard, there are two small gates opening onto the Royal Garden: on the Golden Horn side is the Kozbekçileri Gate; on the Sea of Marmara side is the Gate of the Boot. The most important and the oldest structure in the courtyard is the Byzantine church of Hagia Eirene, built in the 6th century to serve as the church for the Patriarchate. Following the construction of Topkapý Palace, Hagia Eirene was used as an armory. Later, during the time of Fethi Ahmed Pasha (1802–58), it was converted into the Archaeology Museum, serving in this capacity until 1894, when the Archaeology Museum was moved to the building it currently occupies and Hagia Eirene became a military museum.
The palace workshops located near the church reflect a tradition that originated in the Roman Empire and was continued under the Ottomans. In these workshops, fine crafts such as carpentry, leather working, bookbinding, and manuscript illumination were carried out; it was also here that gifts to be sent to foreign states were prepared. When the court moved out of Topkapý Palace in the 19th century, the workshops were converted into the Royal Mint, where imperial coins were pressed.

Council Square
The Gate of Salutation, also known as the Middle Gate (Orta Kapý) leads into the palace proper; with its two grand towers, it served as a symbol of the pomp and majesty of the Ottoman state, and has since become an icon for the whole of Topkapý Palace as well. Built during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II, the Gate of Salutation subsequently underwent numerous renovations in the 16th and 17th centuries. Only the sultan was allowed to pass through the Gate of Salutation on horseback; the grand vizier and all other state officials were required to dismount before entering. However, the women of the palace were allowed to go through the gate in royal carriages.
The Gate of Salutation’s two towers were constructed in the time of Sultan Suleiman I (r. 1520–66), known in English as Suleiman the Magnificent and in Turkish as Suleiman the Lawgiver (Kanûnî). In one of these towers was the room where the Chief Gatekeeper would receive foreign ambassadors until they were granted permission to enter the palace. Currently, the museum visit begins at the Gate of Salutation.
The Second Courtyard, also known as the Council Square (Dîvân Meydaný), was laid out in the 1460s, shortly after Sultan Mehmed II had conquered the city. It served as an official representation of the Ottoman state, being a ceremonial grounds for state governance: here were held the ceremonies of royal enthronement (cülûs-ý hümâyûn), formal holiday festivities, the reception of ambassadors, and the stipend paid to the sultan’s household soldiers (`ulûfe dîvâný), among them the Janissary corps. On the right side of the courtyard, behind the portico, are located the palace kitchens, while on the left side stand the Tower of Justice and the Domed Chamber (Kubbealtý); the latter is where meetings of the Imperial Council (Dîvân-ý Hümâyûn) were held. Near the Domed Chamber stands the External Treasury, which currently houses the museum’s weapons collection. In this corner of the courtyard the Carriage Gate to the Harem apartments can also be seen, while on the lower level, behind the colonnade, the Halberdiers’ Barracks and the courtyard of the Royal Stables are visible.

Enderun Courtyard
The Inner Palace Courtyard is like the keep of a castle: when the gates to this courtyard surrounded by strong structures are shut, entry is virtually impossible. The courtyard, whose space is occupied largely by dormitories and barracks, covers an area of approximately nine dönüm, with one dönüm equaling roughly 920 square meters.

Upon entering the courtyard from the Gate of Felicity, the first building one sees is the Audience Chamber (`Arz Odası). Located immediately behind the Audience Chamber is the Library of Sultan Ahmed III. On the right side of the courtyard are the Inner Palace School (Enderûn Mektebi), the Campaigners’ Barracks, the Pavilion of the Conqueror (Fâtih Köşkü), and the remains of a hammam dating to the time of Sultan Selim II (r. 1566–74). The Rehearsal Chamber (Meşkhâne), where music was taught, once stood before the Campaigners’ Barracks, but has not survived to the present. On the left side of the Inner Palace Courtyard are the four-domed Privy Room (Has Oda), which houses the Holy Mantle of the Prophet (Hırka-i Sa`âdet) and other holy relics; the Privy Room Dormitory; and the Mosque of the Aghas of the Inner Palace. On the two sides of the Gate of Felicity are located the Greater and the Lesser Chambers of the Inner Palace, the White Eunuchs’ Dormitory, and the Apiary, while opposite the gate across the courtyard are the Treasury of the Chamberlain, the Dormitory of the Treasury, and the Butlers’ Dormitory.

Sofa-i Hümayun
The area onto which the double-columned portico of the Privy Room opens is the terrace known as the Royal Hall or the Marble Hall. This space, made up of a flower garden and a marble terrace with a pool, is one of the favorite sites in Topkapý Palace. The pool, which contains a jet of water and is located in front of the portico, was once larger, but construction in the 17th century by Sultan Murad IV (r. 1623–40) and Sultan Ibrahim I (r. 1640–48) resulted in the pool’s being made more narrow and the terrace’s being widened in the direction of the Golden Horn. In the Fourth Courtyard are found the Circumcision Chamber, the Iftar Gazebo, the Yerevan Pavilion, and the Baghdad Pavilion.
From this courtyard, one descends a three-meter long staircase to the Royal Hall, where the Pavilion Hall and the Tower of the Chief Physician are located, and which is also a garden with tulips and other flowers. The lowest terrace in this direction, which is toward the Marmara Sea, contains the Mecidiye Pavilion, the Garment Room, and the Mosque of the Hall.

Harem
The word “harem” is a noun derived from the Arabic verb harama—meaning “to prohibit, forbid, or make unlawful”—and means “that which is forbidden” or “that which is kept safe”. At Topkapý Palace, the Harem Apartments were where the sultans lived together with their families. Reflecting architectural styles ranging from the 16th century to the early 19th century, the entire complex is of the greatest importance in terms of architectural history. In this sense, the Topkapý Palace Harem Apartments can be said to take pride of place among all the similar harems that have survived in the palaces of the Islamic world. The Harem was initially established within the Second Courtyard and above the palace’s back gardens and expanded greatly over the centuries. The apartments were secluded with great care, by means of high walls, from the more public courtyards and sections of the palace where government business was conducted.

Soon after Topkapi Palace was constructed, the Old Palace—located in the Bayezid neighborhood of Istanbul—began to be used solely as the harem, while Topkapý Palace became the seat of government and of public functions, which together were called selamlýk. However, there are also some sources stating that, during this same period, a small harem—the Girls’ Palace (Sarây-i Duhterân)—was also built beside the palace’s Golden Road. The Harem developed in four stages, with perhaps the most intense period of construction and organization occurring when Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520–66) moved into the Topkapý Palace harem together with his Haseki (“favorite”) Hürrem Sultan—known as Roxelana in the West—and his family; this period continued until the 18th century.

The Harem contains more than 300 rooms, nine hammams, two mosques, a hospital, dormitories, and a laundry. The complex as it exists today was shaped over the course of time, through numerous restorations and expansions. The basic plan of the Harem consists of consecutive courtyards surrounded by and interspersed with living quarters, rooms, pavilions, and service buildings.

Videos
Topkapi Palace Tour Part I

                                                                             Topkapi Palace Tour Part II

"Mehter" in Topkapi Palace Part I

                                                                            "Mehter" in Topkapi Palace Part II

How to go

another Hagia Sophia....

Hagia Sophia (Άγια Σοφία in Greek), the Church of Holy Wisdom, known variously as Sancta Sophia in Latin or Ayasofya in Turkish, is an ancient cathedral of the Church of Constantinople located in modern-day Istanbul, Turkey. It was converted to a mosque by the Turks and is now used as a museum. It is universally acknowledged as one of the great buildings of the world and a reference point in history of architecture. (The church is sometimes mistakenly called "Saint Sophia," as though it were named for a saint called Sophia.) 

The first great church on the site was built by Constantius II, the son of Constantine the Great, but was burned down during the Nika riots of 532. The building was rebuilt in its present form between 532 and 537 under the personal supervision of emperor Justinian the Great. It is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. Of great artistic value was its decorated interior with mosaics and marble pillars and coverings. The temple itself was so richly and artistically decorated that Justinian is believed to have said Νενίκηκά σε Σολομών: "Solomon, I have surpassed you!"

Interior of Hagia Sophia

The architects of the church were Isidore of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, professors of geometry at the University of Constantinople. Justinian's basilica was at once the culminating architectural achievement of late antiquity and the first masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. Its influence, both architecturally and liturgically, was widespread and enduring in the Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Muslim worlds alike. 

Hagia Sophia is covered by a central dome with a diameter of 31 meters (102 feet), slightly smaller than the Pantheon's. The dome seems rendered weightless by the unbroken arcade of arched windows under it, which help flood the colorful interior with light. The dome is carried on pendentives: four concave triangular sections of masonry which solve the problem of setting the circular base of a dome on a rectangular base. In Hagia Sophia the weight of the dome passes through the pendentives to four massive piers at the corners. Between them the dome seems to float upon four great arches.

At the western (entrance) and eastern (liturgical) ends, the arched openings are extended by half domes carried on smaller semidomed exedras. Thus a hierarchy of dome-headed elements build up to create a vast oblong interior crowned by the main dome, a sequence unexampled in antiquity.

The structure has been severely damaged several times by earthquakes. The dome collapsed after an earthquake in 558; its replacement fell in 563. There were additional partial collapses in 989 and 1346.

All interior surfaces are sheathed with polychrome marbles, green and white with purple porphyry and gold mosaics, encrusted upon the brick. On the exterior, simple stuccoed walls reveal the clarity of massed vaults and dome.

For over 900 years the Hagia Sophia was the seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople and a principal setting for imperial ceremonies. It was converted to a mosque at the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmet II in 1453. Since Islam considers the depiction of the human form to be blasphemous— that is, it is iconoclastic—Hagia Sophia's iconographic mosaics were covered with plaster. For almost 500 years the principal mosque of Istanbul, Ayasofya, served as model for many of the Ottoman mosques of Constantinople such as the Shehzade Mosque, the Suleiman Mosque, and the Rustem Pasha Mosque.

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The Grand Bazaar - Kapali Carsi

The Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) in Istanbul is one of the largest covered markets in the world with 60 streets and 5,000 shops, and attracts between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. It is well known for its jewellery, hand-painted ceramics, carpets, embroideries, spices and antique shops. Many of the stalls in the bazaar are grouped by type of goods, with special areas for leather, gold jewellery and the like. The bazaar has been an important trading centre since 1461 and its labyrinthine vaults feature two bedestens (domed buildings), the first of which was constructed between 1455 and 1461 by the order of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. The bazaar was vastly enlarged in the 16th century, during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, and in 1894 underwent a major restoration following an earthquake.

The complex houses two mosques, four fountains, two hamams, and several cafés and restaurants. In the centre is the high domed hall of the Cevahir Bedesten, where the most valuable items and antiques were to be found in the past, and still are today, including furniture, copperware, amber prayer beads, inlaid weapons, icons, moth pearl mirrors, water pipes, watches and clocks, candlesticks, old coins, and silver and gold jewellery set with coral and turquoise. A leisurely afternoon spent exploring the bazaar, sitting in one of the cafés and watching the crowds pass by, and bargaining for purchases is one of the best ways to recapture the romantic atmosphere of old Istanbul.

Gates

 The Grand Bazaar has four main gates situated at the ends of its two major streets which intersect near the southwestern corner of the bazaar.

 Opening Times:

Monday to Saturday 9:00 - 19:00. Closed Sundays and bank holidays.

Getting there:

Take a tram to Beyazit, Üniversite or Sirkeci.

The Grand Bazaar is around 15 minutes walk from the Aya Sofya/Blue Mosque area.

Best Blue of the Bosphorus.... Blue Mosque !!!

Architecture

The design of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque is the culmination of two centuries of both Ottoman mosque and Byzantine church development. It incorporates some Byzantine elements of the neighboring Hagia Sophia with traditional Islamic architecture and is considered to be the last great mosque of the classical period. The architect has ably synthesized the ideas of his master Sinan, aiming for overwhelming size, majesty and splendour. It has 6 minarates along with 8 domes and 1 main one.

Exterior
 The façade of the spacious forecourt was built in the same manner as the façade of theSüleymaniye Mosque, except for the addition of the turrets on the corner domes. The court is about as large as the mosque itself and is surrounded by a continuous vaulted arcade (revak). It has ablution facilities on both sides. The central hexagonal fountain is rather small in contrast with the dimensions of the courtyard. The monumental but narrow gateway to the courtyard stands out architecturally from the arcade. Its semi-dome has a fine stalactite structure, crowned by a small ribbed dome on a tall tholobate.

A heavy iron chain hangs in the upper part of the court entrance on the western side. Only the sultan was allowed to enter the court of the mosque on horseback. The chain was put there, so that the sultan had to lower his head every time he entered the court in order not to get hit. This was done as a symbolic gesture, to ensure the humility of the ruler in the face of the divine.

The six minarets were a matter of contention and a first, since four minarets were the common maximum. Only after one more minaret was added to the Masjid al-Haram, Grand Mosque, in Mecca was the six minarets issue settled.

Interior

Interior view, featuring the prayer area and the main dome.

At its lower levels and at every pier, the interior of the mosque is lined with more than 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles, made at Iznik (the ancient Nicaea) in more than fifty different tulip designs. The tiles at lower levels are traditional in design, while at gallery level their design becomes flamboyant with representations of flowers, fruit and cypresses. More than 20,000 tiles were made under the supervision of the Iznik master potter Kasap Haci and Baris Efendi from Avanos (Cappadocia). The price to be paid for each tile was fixed by the sultan's decree, while tile prices in general increased over time. As a result, the quality of the tiles used in the building decreased gradually. Their colours have faded and changed (red turning into brown and green into blue, mottled whites) and the glazes have dulled. The tiles on the back balcony wall are recycled tiles from the harem in the Topkapı Palace, when it was damaged by fire in 1574.

The upper levels of the interior are dominated by blue paint. More than 200 stained glass windows with intricate designs admit natural light, today assisted by chandeliers. On the chandeliers, ostrich eggs are found that were meant to avoid cobwebs inside the mosque by repelling spiders.^[2] The decorations include verses from the Qur'an, many of them made by Seyyid Kasim Gubari, regarded as the greatest calligrapher of his time. The floors are covered with carpets, which are donated by faithful people and are regularly replaced as they wear out. The many spacious windows confer a spacious impression. The casements at floor level are decorated with opus sectile. Each exedra has five windows, some of which are blind. Each semi-dome has 14 windows and the central dome 28 (four of which are blind). The coloured glass for the windows was a gift of the Signoria of Venice to the sultan. Most of these coloured windows have by now been replaced by modern versions with little or no artistic merit.

The most important element in the interior of the mosque is the mihrab, which is made of finely carved and sculptured marble, with a stalactite niche and a double inscriptive panel above it. The adjacent walls are sheathed in ceramic tiles. But the many windows around it make it look less spectacular. To the right of the mihrab is the richly decorated minber, or pulpit, where the Imam stands when he is delivering his sermon at the time of noon prayer on Fridays or on holy days. The mosque has been designed so that even when it is at its most crowded, everyone in the mosque can see and hear the Imam.

The royal kiosk is situated at the south-east corner. It comprises a platform, a loggia and two small retiring rooms. It gives access to the royal loge in the south-east upper gallery of the mosque. These retiring rooms became the headquarters of the Grand Vizier during the suppression of the rebellious Janissary Corps in 1826. The royal loge (hünkâr mahfil) is supported by ten marble columns. It has its own mihrab, that used to be decorated with a jade rose and gilt^[3] and one hundred Qurans on inlaid and gildedlecterns.^[4]

The many lamps inside the mosque were once covered with gold and gems.^[5] Among the glass bowls one could find ostrich eggs and crystal balls.^[6] All these decorations have been removed or pillaged for museums.

The great tablets on the walls are inscribed with the names of the caliphs and verses from the Quran, originally by the great 17th-century calligrapher Ametli Kasım Gubarım, but they have frequently been restored.

Pope Benedict XVI's visit and silent meditation

Pope Benedict XVI visited the Sultan Ahmed Mosque on 30 November 2006 during his visit to Turkey. It marks only the second papal visit in history to a Muslim place of worship. Having removed his shoes, the Pope paused for a full two minutes, eyes closed in silent meditation,^[7] standing side by side with Mustafa Çağrıcı, the Mufti of Istanbul, and Emrullah Hatipoğlu, the Imam of the Blue Mosque.^[8]

The pope “thanked divine Providence for this” and said, “May all believers identify themselves with the one God and bear witness to true brotherhood.” The pontiff augured that Turkey “will be a bridge of friendship and collaboration between East and West”, and he thanked the Turkish people “for the cordiality and sympathy” they showed him throughout his stay, saying, “he felt loved and understood

What to See

One of the most notable features of the Blue Mosque is visible from far away: itssix minarets. This is very unique, as most mosques have four, two, or just one minaret. According to one account, the Sultan directed his architect to make gold (altin) minarets, which was misunderstood as six (alti) minarets.

Whatever the origins of the unique feature, the six minarets caused quite a scandal, as the Haram Mosque in Mecca (the holiest in the world) also had six minarets. In the end, the sultan solved the problem by sending his architect to Mecca to add a seventh minaret.

The other striking feature of the exterior is the beautifully-arranged cascade of domes that seem to spill down from the great central dome. The arcades running beneath each dome add further visual rhythm. None of the exterior is blue - the name "Blue Mosque" comes from the blue tiles inside.

The main west entrance is beautifully decorated and very much worth a look. However, to preserve the mosque's sanctity, non-worshippers are required to use the north entrance, off the Hippodrome. Hanging from this gate are symbolic chains that encourage everyone, even the sultan who entered on horseback, to bow his or her head upon entering.

Inside, the high ceiling is lined with the 20,000 blue tiles that give the mosque its popular name. Fine examples of 16th-century Iznik design, the oldest tiles feature flowers, trees and abstract patterns. The overall effect is one of the most beautiful sights in Istanbul. The Iznik tiles can be seen in the galleries and and on the north wall above the main entrance. The remaining tiles, which have a less delicate design, were made in Kütahya.

The interior is lit with 260 windows, which were once filled with 17th-century stained glass. Sadly, this has been lost and replaced with inferior replicas.

Festivals and Events

On summer evenings at 9pm, there is a historical narrative and a light show at the Blue Mosque. The commentaries are given in Turkish, English, French and German on various evenings.