Istanbul Topkapı Palace and Harem Apartments

Welcome to Topkapı Palace.

This great palace was ordered by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. It was built between 1460 and 1478. For many years, it was the heart of the Ottoman Empire. The sultans lived here. The empire was also ruled from here.

Each Ottoman sultan left his own mark on the palace. Some built new homes inside it. Some brought precious treasures. In this way, the palace became richer and richer over time.

The name Topkapı means “Cannon Gate.” The palace took this name from an old shore pavilion at Sarayburnu. That pavilion no longer exists. It was called the Cannon Gate Shore Pavilion because Byzantine cannons stood near its gate.

For many years, the palace had other names too. Until the 19th century, it was called the Imperial Palace, or Saray-ı Amire. It was also called the New Imperial Palace, or Saray-ı Cedide Amire.

On April 3, 1924, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk turned Topkapı Palace into a museum. He was the founder of the Turkish Republic.

In the past, the palace was much larger than the museum area today. With its gardens and kiosks, it once covered 700,000 square meters. Today, the museum covers 80,000 square meters of the old palace complex.

Topkapı Palace had hundreds of rooms. It held a bright and rich history. It was also home to many cultures and traditions.

One important gate is the Gate of Salutation, known as Bab-ı Selam. Only the sultan could pass through this gate on horseback. Ordinary citizens were not allowed to enter this part of the palace.

Beyond this gate was the Second Courtyard. It was also called Justice Square. Another name for it was Divan Square. The word “Divan” means the council of the empire.

This courtyard held many important parts of palace life. There were great kitchens and helper buildings. There were also stables for the horses. The Tower of Justice rose above this area and gave a beautiful view of Istanbul.

Near the Tower of Justice was the Imperial Council Hall. It was called Divan-ı Hümayun. It was also known as Kubbealtı, meaning “under the dome.” This was one of the main places where the Ottoman Empire was governed.