Stone Courtyard of Concubines

This courtyard belonged to the women of the Harem.

The Harem was the private family world of the sultan. Here lived the sultan’s wives, his favorite women, and many concubines. A concubine was a woman who lived in the palace and served the royal family. Some concubines could become very important.

This place was shaped by rank. Every woman had a place in the palace order. The best rooms, with the best views, were given to women who gave birth to a son of the sultan. A son could one day become the next ruler. So his mother became very powerful too.

The favorite concubines were called gözde. This word means “favorite.” These women were trained with great care. They could become the future wives of the sultan.

Between 300 and 500 concubines lived in the Harem. Their life was not only about beauty. They were educated. They learned music, dance, languages, and palace manners. Music was a very important part of their training.

The courtyard also had a hammam, a Turkish bath. Cleanliness was very important in palace life. It mattered for personal comfort. It also mattered for religion.

There were large dormitories for the concubines. These buildings had more than one floor. The ground floor was once used as a hospital for the concubines.

So this courtyard was a place of daily life, learning, order, and ambition. For many women, life here was strict. But it could also open a path to power inside the palace.