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ISTANBUL TOPKAPI PALACE MUSEUM
It is
located on the promontory of the historical peninsula in İstanbul
which overlooks both the Marmara Sea and the Bosphorus. The walls
enclosing the palace grounds, the main gate on the land side and the
first buildings were constructed during the time of Fatih Sultan
Mehmet (the Conqueror) (1451 - 81). The palace has taken its present
layout with the addition of new structures in the later centuries.
Topkapı Palace was the official residence of the Ottoman Sultans,
starting with Fatih Sultan Mehmet until 1856, when Abdülmecid moved
to the Dolmabahçe palace, functioned as the administrative center of
the state. The Enderun section also gained importance as a school.
The main
exterior gate of the Topkapı Palace is the Imperial Gate (Bab-ı
Hümayun) which opens up to the Ayasofya Square. This gate leads to a
garden known as the First Court. This court has the Aya Irini Church
which was once used as an ammunition depot and behind the Church
there is the mint. In the past various pavillions allocated to
different services of the palace were located in the First Court. In
later years these have been replaced with public buildings and
schools. Some of these are still existing. At the end of the 19th
century Archeology Museum and School of Fine Arts (now Oriental
Works Museum) were built in the large garden which is to the
northwest of the First Court. The oldest structure in this section
is the Çinili Köşk built by Fatih, which is now used as the Museum
of Turkish Tiles and Ceramics. On the walls of this outer garden
facing Bab-ı ali (the Imperial Gate), there is Alay Köşkü (procession
Pavillion) where the Sultans used to watch the marching ceremonies.
A section of the outer garden was planned by the municipality at the
beginning of the 20th century and opened to the public. Known today
as the Gülhane Park, the enterance has one of the largerst gates of
the palace. After the First Court, there is the Second Court which
contains the palace buildings. It is entered through a monumental
gate called Bab'us-Selam or the Middle Gate. The buildings in this
court form the outer section of the palace which is called Birun. On
the right there are the instantly noticed palace kitchens with their
domes and chimneys and the dormitories of those who worked there.
The most important of the buildings on the left side of the court
are the Kubbealtı and the Inner Treasury. Behind Kubbealtı rises the
Justice Tower, which is one of the symbols of the Topkapı Palace.
The Harem section, which comes all the way to the back of these
buildings is entered from the Third Court. Third Court is entered
through the gate called Bab'üs Sa'ade (Gate of the White Eunuiches).
This section of the palace is called Enderun, and it is the section
where the sultans live with their extended families. Hence it is
specially protected. The barracks of the Akağalar, which guard
Bab'üs Sa'ade are on both sides of the gate. There are two
structures. The first which is immediately opposite the gate is the
Throne Room or the Audience Hall. Here the sultans receive the
ambassadors and high ranking state officials such as Grand Visier or
the Visiers. Right behind the Throne Room there is the library built
by Ahmet III (1703 - 30). On the right side of the Third Court,
there is the barracks of the Enderun and the Privy Treasury which is
also known as the Mehmet the Conqueror Pavilion. On the side facing
the Fourth Court, there is the Larder Barracks of the Enderun, the
Treasury Chamber and the Chamber of the Sacred Relics. The left side
starts with the Harem. The harem which covers a large part of the
Palace consists of about 60 spaces of varying sizes. The main
structures which are located in front of the Harem, facing the Third
Court are Akağalar Mosque, Sultan Ahmet Mosque, Barracks of the
Sacred Relics Guards and Chambers of the Sacred Relics. Here, the
sacred relics brought back by Sultan Yavuz Selim from Egypt in 1517
are kept. The Fourth Court is entered from a covered path going from
both sides of the Treasury Room. Here the buildings are located in
the first part of the court, which has two sections of different
levels. On the left side of this section called Lala Garden or Lale
Garden there is Mabeyn which is the beginning point of Harem's
access to the garden, terrace for the ladies with removable glass
enclosure, Circumcission Room, Sultan İbrahim Patio and another one
of the symbols of Topkapı palace, the İftariye (or Kameriye) and
Baghdat Pavilion. This pavillion was built by Murad IV in 1640 to
commemorate the Baghdat Campaign. At the center of the first section
of the Fourth Court, there is the Big Pool and Ravan Pavillion next
to it. This pavillion was also built by Murad IV in 1629, to
commemorate the Revan Campaign. The side facing the second section
has Sofa Pavilion (Koca Mustafa Pasha Pavilion), Başbala Tower and
Hekimbaşı (Chief Physician) Room. The Sofa Mosque and Esvap Chamber
and the latest built Mecidye Pavilion are on the right hand side of
the Fourth Court. Out of the pavillions built on the shore of the
Marmara Sea, only Sepetciler Mansion has survived until the present.
During
18th. Century when the Topkapı palace took its final shape, it was
sheltering a population of more than 10.000 in its outer (Birun) and
inner (Enderun) and Harem sections. It shows no archirectural unity
as new parts were added in every period according to the needs.
However, this enables us to follow the stages Ottoman Architecture
went through from the 15th to the middle of the 19th century at the
Topkapi Palace. The buildings of the 15th -
17th centuries are simpler and those of the 18th - 19th centuries,
particularly in terms of exterior and interior ornamentation are
more complex.
Topkapı
Palace was converted to a museum in 1924. Parts of the Palace such
as the Harem, Baghdat Pavilion, Revan Pavilion, Sofa Pavilion, and
the Audiance Chamber distinguish themselves with their architectural
assets,while in other sections artifacts are displayed which reflect
the palace life. The museum also has collections from various
donations and a library.
Telephone and Fax
Numbers of Topkapi Palace Museum
Tel : (0212)
522 44 22 / 512 04 80-5 lines
Fax : (0212) 528 59 91
F or more information please
send us e-mail
:
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