Location: Cankurtaran, 34122, Fatih/Istanbul, Turkey.
Distance from nearest airport: The nearest international airport is the Istanbul Airport. It is 51 km away, and the taxi journey from the airport to Topkapi palace takes a good 40 minutes.
History of Topkapi Palace
The Topkapi Palace is strategically located where the earlier Greek and Byzantine empires were- overlooking the Golden Horn at the junction of the Bosphorus Strait and the Marmara Sea. After his conquest in 1453, this is the location Sultan Mehmed II pinpointed for his new palace.
He had grand plans for his palace and summoned the best masons and artisans to work here. Mehmed II himself visualized the layout and instructed his private chambers to be built on the top of the whole complex. Though the basic layout envisaged by their ancestor was not disturbed, future sultans did make a few changes.
It was expanded in the mid-1500s by Suleyman the Magnificent. In 1574, a fire destroyed the massive kitchen area, and the then sultan, Selim II, had many parts of the palace remodeled with the kitchen, including the harem, baths, and privy chambers.
Though we now see only four courtyards, there were actually five, but it fell into ruins and was destroyed when the shoreline railroad was being constructed. In fact, all of the shoreline structures have been demolished by the railroad construction, with the exception of Basketmakers kiosk, patronised by Sultan Murad II.
Architecture of the Topkapi Palace
The architecture of the Topkapi Palace is pretty unique, a form that has not been seen in any Turkish or European structure before. The palace had all the important chambers and courtrooms at the core of the structure. Then surrounding the main chambers were a handful of other buildings and pavilions.
The most important rooms were at the zenith of the hill, including the Sultan’s private chamber, which was at the peak. Then, winding down the hill, towards the shoreline were the less important buildings like the Basketmaker’s kiosk and the fifth courtyard.
Surrounding the palace are high walls, some commissioned by the Sultan, and some from the erstwhile Byzantine empire. The palace currently has four massive courtyards, surrounded by smaller and lower buildings(mostly two-storied ones).
All the courtyards and buildings are interconnected by passages and galleries. The first courtyard is the outermost one, which almost everybody had access to. The fourth courtyard is the innermost one, accessible only to the Sultan, the topmost courtiers, and the concubines. In fact, the harem is located here, beyond the fourth courtyard.
The western and southern boundaries are bordered by Gulhane Park, the Imperial Flower Park. Various other buildings are also present near the shoreline in what was the fifth courtyard. The fifth courtyard and the other buildings near the shoreline have since been destroyed during the making of the railroad.
Imperial Gate of the Topkapi Palace
The road leading up to the main entrance of the Topkapi Palace is the Divan Yolu or the “Council Street”. This age old street has been used by Byzantine emperors and Ottoman sultans for their royal processions. The Imperial Gate of the Topkapi Palace is located on this street and it opens into the first courtyard.
It is located to the south of the palace and is called Sultanat Kapisi or the “Royal Gate”. The gateway, earlier made of stone, is now a beautiful marble structure, having been remodelled as late as the 19th century. It opens into a stone arch, which has a dome inscribed with verses of Quran and tughras of the sultans.
The Ottoman calligraphy is what accentuates the beauty of the dome. Legend has it that there was a wooden compartment over the Imperial Gate once upon a time. Whenever a resident of the palace passed away without legitimate heirs, their property was deposited into this compartment and then later taken into the treasury.
And during processions, this is where the ladies of the harem were allowed to stand and watch the majestic occasion.
Security Concerns of Topkapi Palace
Historians have rued the fact that the Turkish government has not done enough for the security of this important palace. There is no climate-controlled room for the safekeeping of the manuscripts, and the only reason why the palace has survived the earthquakes is because of the thick walls.
In fact, in 1999, thieves made off with a 12th century Quran, and yet, not much has been done to prevent these. The worst incident happened when in 2001, Libyan revolutionary Samir Salim Ali Elmadhavri opened fire here on unsuspecting tourists. The SWAT team finally killed him, and this led to more security being placed in the palace.
Tips for traveling to Topkapi Palace
- Since it's usually very crowded, we have curated a few tips which will make the tour more pleasurable!
- Book tickets online beforehand to stay away from long queues
- Go on a Monday morning to experience the beauty of the palace properly as it is the least crowded.
- Since the Blue Mosque is closed till 2:30 pm on Friday, the palace is very crowded during the morning and therefore you should avoid not to plan the palace trip on a Friday
- Winter is also a good time and if you can bear the cold, you can tour the palace in peace!
