Topkapı Palace

Topkapı Palace was built by Sultan Mehmet between 1460 and 1478, and the following sultans added additional structures and today's palace took its final form. Topkapı Palace was called Saray-ı Cedid (new palace) for many years because of the previous palace in Beyazıt, and then the name Top Kapı Palace was started to be used because of the Top (Canon) located at the entrance gate. The palace continued to be the administrative center until the establishment of the republic. The construction of the Dolmabahçe Palace started in the 1840s, and as a result of the Topkapı Palace's inability to meet the requirements of the state protocol, Dolmabahçe Palace became the new center of life and administration after 1856.

Where İs Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace is located in the heart of Istanbul, Sarayburnu, Sultanahmet Square. The control of the Peninsula between the Sea of ​​Marmara, the Bosphorus, and the Golden Horn is much easier from the point where it is located. At the same time, the palace is the most magnificent structure in Istanbul. The Palace, which was previously established on an area of ​​700 decares on the eastern Roman acropolis in Sarayburnu, has been the life, administration, and education center of the Ottoman Empire for nearly four hundred years until Sultan Abdülmecid.

Biggest Palace Museum in The World

Topkapı palace considers the biggest palace museum in the world, which fell into a secondary position with the transfer of the administration to Dolmabahçe Palace in the middle of the 18th century, but has never lost its historical importance and value. Topkapi Palace, which was turned into a museum in 1924 after the foundation of the republic, is Turkey's first museum. Topkapi Palace museum covers an area of ​​350 decares today; The buildings in the museum are considered the largest museum-palace in the world with their architecture, collections, and valuable archive documents.

Topkapi Palace Architectural Structure

Topkapi Palace, which is planned like a city structure, has porticoes around the large courtyards. The kitchen, the Harem rooms, the Sultan's Suites, the Reception, and Supply rooms surround the palace courtyards. Other Ottoman palaces have similar features. Almost all structures are single-story, high-domed structures made of stone. In the buildings used only as residences, wood was used and the domes were covered with lead. The buildings used as residences were mostly made of stone and materials, and rarely wood was used. Details such as a fountain, pool, and fountain can be seen in the interior sections and gardens, and more than one cistern was built for the water needs of the palace.

Topkapi Palace Sections

Topkapi Palace basically consists of four parts. Private living area (Harem) Education area (Enderûn) Service area (Bîrun), Administrative area (Dîvân-ı Hümâyun). The palace has the main entrance gate of the Bâb-ı Hümâyun and two other gates: the Iron Gate and the Otluk Gate, as well as five more gates used for service. The main gate (Bâb-ı Hümâyun), above it, is Ali b. It has the signature of Yahyâ es-Sûfi. The other door is Bâbüsselâm, Babüssaâde. Topkapi Palace consists of four interconnecting courtyards. At the first entrance from the Bâb-ı Hümâyun (Main Gate), it is also known as the Alay Square. In this first courtyard, there was Hagia Eirene Church, Wood Warehouse, Bakery, Mint, Hospital, and the Hasırcılar Furnace. Second Courtyard The second courtyard is Divan Square (Justice Square) where its administration is located. (Kubbealtı) Divan-ı Hümâyûn Treasury was also located in this courtyard where divan meetings were held. In this courtyard, there is also the Tower of Justice, and right next to it is the Zülüflü Baltacılar Ward, the entrance to the Harem Department.

Third Courtyard

The third courtyard is also known as the Enderûn Courtyard. Here, there are Sultan's Supply Room, Zülüflü Baltacılar Ward, Doğancılar Ward (Şahinciler), Enderun Treasure, and Has Room (Holy Relics Department). After Babüssaade, there is a treasure room with the name of Fatih Mansion on the upper right side. There are four domed sections next to the Harem section, which was used as a Privy Room for a while. After the relics were brought, this place became the Hırka-i Saâdet Department.

The Last Courtyard

In the last courtyard, there are the sultan's mansions and hanging gardens. Here, the most outstanding examples are found with Iftariye Gazebo, Baghdad, and Revan Kiosks. The Sofa Mansion, built of wood in the 18th century, is adjacent to the Tulip Garden. The couplets of the Ottoman poet Hâkanî Mehmed Bey are written on the walls of this mansion. Ambassadors and statesmen were rarely accepted in the mansion located in the main part of the palace. A part of the mansion was used as a palace pharmacy for a while. In the fourth courtyard, the last buildings of the palace, the Mecidiye Mansion, and the Dressing Room can be seen. Topkapı Palace is under the administration of the National Palaces Administration.

This building, which is the Sultan's apartment in Topkapı Palace, was built as a Special Room during the reign of Fatih Sultan Mehmed. The special section dedicated to the sultans was used as a harem (entertainment section) until the middle of the 17th century. In this section, the new sultan would sit on the throne in the Special room before the Culus ceremony and his first congratulations were accepted. It consists of four sections the private room, the sofa with the fountain, the Arzhane (reception), and the Destimal room. It has been reserved for the Sacred Relics since the 19th century and is still used today as the exhibition hall of the Sacred Relics. Remains of the Kaaba, such as the Gate of Repentance and the grooves of the Kaaba, in the entrance hall of the Sacred Relics section, which was opened to visitors on December 27, 2007, Kaaba keys in Arzhane, items special to the Prophet Muhammad: Hırka-i Saadet and Sancak-ı Şerif', Sword, Bow, Sakal-i Sharif ( holy beard) and weapons belonging to the Four Caliphs of Islam. The silver throne was built during the reign of the IV. Murad is also exhibited here. In the Destimal room,

St. Moses' staff, There are important relics belonging to St.Yahya.

Harem

If the word harem, which means taboo and forbidden, haram, is not used much in the changing society, it is understood what is meant. Harem is the private and forbidden place belonging to the family where the dynasty lived in the Ottoman palace. The Harem section is extremely important in terms of architecture and served as a university when it was used. It contains examples of palace architecture from the 16th and 19th centuries. There are approximately 250 rooms, a Turkish bath, a mosque, a hospital, and laundry in the Topkapı Palace Harem section. The Harem, which developed in a hierarchical structure, was largely burned in the fire in 1665. Today's Harem has been shaped by renovations and additions after the fire.

Sultan's Divan

III. Sultan's Divan, located between the Murad Privy Chamber and the baths, is the largest place of the Harem in its dimensions. It is known that in this great hall where the musical entertainments, meetings, festivities, and other ceremonies of the harem were held, the people of the harem offered their devotion and congratulations after the sultan's accession to the throne, and ceremonies were held for furnishing the tombs during the Ottoman period. The decoration of this place, which is the scene of various entertainments in the harem, in different styles from different periods has created an impressive environment where tastes that have changed over the centuries come together. After the fire in the palace, the sofa also underwent an important repair.  During the reign of III. Osman (1754-1757), took a predominantly rococo form with the renewal. In the inscription at the entrance door of the hall, III. Osman has a name. The walls are covered with gilded and painted wood trim and blue and white European tiles, and fountains are built into the walls.

II. Murad Has Room

Although Topkapı Palace was not designed by Mimar Sinan, it was built by Master II in 1578. There are additions such as the Sultan Murad Room. This large mansion, which was built after the completion of the natural ground in the Harem, was placed on a pedestal structure. It is one of the important structures of Ottoman architecture. Mimar Sinan has preserved the balance of function and decor in accordance with the meaning and form of the building in the classical-looking pool that he placed between the buttresses on the lower floor. Sultan Baths, which were built as a double baths for the Valide Sultan and the sultan, were built during the reign of III. It was built in the 1580s after the construction of the Murad Private Room. These baths were built in the double bath style, which is often seen in Ottoman architecture. It seems that it was inspired by the Roman baths, continues under the floor of the Hünkar and Valide Sultan Baths, and forms the common heating system of these buildings.

 III. Ahmet Room

This fun period, known as the Tulip Era in the Ottoman Empire, was also during the III. Ahmed reflected the brightest period of a new style in Ottoman decorative arts (1703-1730) in this small room in the Royal Harem, which he had built. This new naturalist style was reflected in all architectural works of the period as hand-drawn, plaster, or marble reliefs. The walls of this room, which the sultan had built in the palace harem, were decorated with vases filled with flowers or plates filled with fruits. The room was also called the Dining Room because of the plates filled with flowers and fruits on its walls. In this room, which reflects the new decoration taste of the period, the famous and talented calligrapher Sultan III. Ahmed reflected on his extraordinary calligraphy.

Double Mansions

III. These mansions, which were built to protrude on the Mabeyn Stone side of the entrance of the Murad Privy Chamber, consist of two intertwined rooms. The fact that it is covered with tiles from the outside and is surrounded by continuous eaves gives the impression of a simultaneous structure. Adult princes had to live outside the Harem after a while. The princes, who were not sent to duty since the 17th century, lived in the Harem with the Black Aghas (Eunuchs Black Harem Officers), journeymen, and concubines.

The first room, which was built on the portico called the Jinn Consultation Place (according to the superstitions of those in the Harem and the palace, gathers here every night and chats, their jobs are decided) and overhangs the Mabeyn Stone, 17th century. in the beginning, It must have been built by III. Mehmed (1596-1603). The other room, which is entered through the door on the left side of the domed pavilion, is large. It was built by IV. Mehmed (1648-1687). There is an interesting interior architectural composition by making colorful wooden shirvans in both rooms. The wooden parts were removed to reveal the original shape of these rooms, which are also called the Şehzadegan Apartment.

Valide Sultan's Room

Valide Sultan's Room  It is one of the most important structures of III.Murad's (1574-1599) renovation and expansion activities in the Harem. The importance given to the mother caused the Valide Sultan to come to the fore instead of the sultan's chief woman in the palace harem, and the real leader of the harem was Valide Sultan.

Favorites Courtyard / Mabeyn

Unlike other courtyards, the Mabeyn is open in front. It turns various structures on its three sides. There is a portico called Jinn Consultation Place in the direction of the Valide Sultan  Kiosks. The upper floor of this portico is the Şehzadegan  Kiosks In the same direction, there are Double Kiosks on the stony ground. The courtyard was enlarged in the form of a hanging garden over time. This stony courtyard was not filled too much from the beginning and was reserved for the controlled life of the princes. This courtyard was also opened to women after Abdülhamid I (1774-1789) had the Altınyol and  Sultan Selim Towers built by the Favorites Kiosks. The sultans had their private Kiosks built around the Golden Horn facade of the bath and the Valide Sultan Kiosks. It is understood that the sultans sometimes lived in a selamlik and sometimes in a harem.

Black Chiefs Quarry

The Black Chiefs Quarry in Topkapı Palace was a training place like the wards in the Enderûn Courtyard. The main duties of these aghas are to keep watch at the gates of the Harem, to control the entrances and exits, and not to let anyone in. The Black Chiefs (Kara Aghas) section is entered through the carriage gate, which opens from Divan Square. It has an inscription dated 1587 and bearing the name of  III. Sultan Murad (1574-1595). From this gate, the Black Chiefs Courtyard can be reached from the observation station called Dolaplı Dome and Şadırvanlı Sofa. This narrow and long courtyard, where all the structures of the system are located, is covered with stones, so it is called a stone courtyard. Extending from one end to the other in the middle of the stony ground, this boulevard-stoned road starts from the entrance and continues until the Mountain Stone in front of the door of the Ocaklı Sofa, called the Sultanate. The Sultan used to pass this road on horseback. In the Courtyard of the Black Aghas, there are all the necessary structures for their lives. On the left side of the entrance, there are masjids, wards, and Dar'us-SaadeAgha's apartment where the princes' training place and the bath are located. On the opposite side, there are places where the treasurers and dwarves, the high officials of the Harem, live.

Zülüflü Baltacılar Ward

The first structure of the Zülüflü Baltacılar organization in Topkapı Palace was built during the reign of Magnificent Suleiman. Since Zülüflü Baltacılar served both in the foreign services of the harem and in different duties of the Divan-ı Hümâyûn and Enderûn, these services were taken into account in the selection of the place. It was built near the Divan-ı Hümâyûn, which is connected to the harem gate and the courtyard. Baltacılar Ward. It was established as the pioneer unit of the army during the reign of Sultan II. Murad (1421-1451). Zülüflü Baltacılar was given this name because of the very pointed, camel-hair-colored caps they wore on their heads and their hair-braids hanging from both sides. To clean the Divan-ı Hümâyûn, to establish the sultan's throne in cult and feast ceremonies, in addition to the duties related to the leadership of the harem, such as taking on the firefighting duty in the harem and meeting the wood needs of the baths and stoves. In addition, they undertook external duties such as reading the Qur'an under the sanjak-i sheriff and distributing rose water and sherbets prepared in palace mawlids. An important part of the stone structures in the palace is the sleeping and resting places of the Zülüflü Baltacıs. Zülüflü Baltacı Wards are designed in the size of a traditional Turkish house, using less wood. As in these examples, it can be assumed that a similar architectural style was used in the wards in the courtyard and in the Harem in the 16th century.