Topkapi Palace Museum was the second palace built in Istanbul after its conquest by the Turks. The palace has been one of the main dwellings of the Ottoman Sultans in Istanbul about 400 years ago. Construction of Topkapı Palace began in 1459 under the orders of Sultan Mehmed II following the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Topkapi Palace: Great location to built a palace :) - See 27,127 traveler reviews, 21,966 candid photos, and great deals for Istanbul, Turkey, at Tripadvisor. The Topkapi Palace was built on the ruins of the Byzantium, the Greek acropolis, which was the pre-Roman settlement of the city. The palace is located on a hilly area overlooking the Golden Horn and Sea of Marmara. 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 Topkapi Palace was the residence of Ottoman sultans and, at the same time, the administrative center for almost four centuries until 1830s. The Harem Mosque (Harem Mescidi), in the Topkapi Palace, was built in the 17th century. Approximately 30 sultans ruled the empire from there. Ottoman Palace Architecture: The Topkapi Palace. It did at one stage, when still in use, become a mini city so this is an indication of its large size. Topkapi Palace. It was built by Sultan Mehmed II and extended and changed many times throughout its long history and served as their dwelling and court of Ottoman sultan s until the middle of the 19th century. It was built in between 1466 and 1478 by the sultan Mehmet II on top of a hill in a small peninsula, dominating the Golden Horn to the north, the Sea of Marmara to the south, and the Bosphorus strait to the north east, with great views of the Asian side as well. At its height over 4,000 people called Topkapi Palace their home. Located in an area of approximately 70.000 m.² in the foundation year, the present area of the palace is 80.000 m². It is also known as ‘Topkapu Sarayi’ or ‘Seraglio’ in Ottoman Turkish language. The Harem Mosque . No votes so far! In the Ottoman era, this courtyard was full of gold leaf, precious stone, bookbinding, and leather artisans. A restaurant is located next to the pavilion as well as the Wardrobe Chamber (Esvap Odası), built in 1859. The palace inhabited 25 different Ottoman sultans for over four centuries. Cankurtaran Mh., 34122 Fatih/Istanbul, Turkey (0212) 512 04 80 ©2017 by Zamliy Consulting Services LLC, New York. It was a residence for the Ottoman Sultans and includes a maze of opulent buildings, which served as the center of the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries. Topkapı palace is a central place located in all the Ottoman sultans’ time until the reign of Abdulmecid I (1839-1860), a period of nearly four centuries. Votes 198. You can visit Topkapı Palace everyday except Tuesdays 9:00AM to 4:00PM in the winter and 9:00AM to 6:00PM in the summer. Sultan Mehmet built Topkapı Palace to work, relax and carry out state affairs. Built in a traditional Ottoman style, Topkapi Palace measured a staggering 700,000 metres squared in volume upon its construction, made up of a series … Scores and scores of buildings and structures dot the landscaped area within a walled complex. The Topkapi Palace is one of the most popular tourist attraction sites in the world andthe biggest in Istanbul. The Harem Mosque . Home. Submit Rating . TOPKAPI PALACE MUSEUM. Topkapi Palace is not only the home of the Ottoman sultans but also the administrative and educational center of the state. The most recent building on the palace grounds is the Mecidiye Pavilion (Mecidiye Köşkü), built in 1859 by Abdülmecid I as a resting place. It is the largest and oldest palace in the world to survive to our day. The mosque is adjacent to the Mosque of the Aghas in the inner (third) courtyard of the Topkapi Palace. 4.9 / 5. The Topkapı Palace, or the Seraglio, is a large museum in Istanbul, Turkey. This is the outer most gate in the Topkapi Palace, beside the Sultan Ahmed III Fountain. History. Topkapi was the first Ottoman palace built by the Ottoman Empire in 1459 after the Ottoman Empire invaded Istanbul. Topkapi Palace, which was used as the administrative and domicile center of the Ottoman Empire for almost 400 years, is the oldest and largest palace that has survived up until today. TOPKAPI PALACE. Topkapi Palace: Topkapi Palace was constructed between 1460 and 1478 during the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror. After moving to their new palaces at Dolmabahçe and Yıldız, the sultans would stay there on retreats and visits to Topkapi Palace. If that is not reason enough to visit, I don’t know what is! TOPKAPI PALACE MUSEUM. One of the largest palace-museums in the world After the establishment of the Republic of Turkey on April 3, it became a museum in 1924 and is the first museum in the Republic of Topkapi Palace Museum, currently covering an area of about 300,000 square meters. The architecture of the palace resembles a castle and contains all the buildings a small city needs. Many of the buildings survive and there are some records of the gardens in which they were set. Topkapi Palace was built by the Ottoman sultans (after 1453) in a Byzantine olive grove on the Seraglio hill overlooking the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorous. After the conquest of Constantinople in 1453, Sultan Mehmet II shifted the capital of his empire from Edirne to this city, which came to be known as Istanbul. Topkapi Palace was built by famous architects of the period: Mimar Sinan, Davut Aga, Sarkis Balyan and Acem Ali. The palace was in use from 1465-1856, and today it is a museum. Just drag the mouse to the direction you want to look. The museum is more crowded on the weekends. by Rabah Saoud Published on: 8th July 2004. The Ottomans built the palace between 1461 and 1478. Built in 1478, when the city was called Constantinople, the former home of the Ottoman sultans is a mass of courtyards, rooms, and elaborate décor. Built by Emperor Constantine in the fourth century, it was converted into an armory for janissary guards by the Ottomans. From 1465 CE until 1856 CE, the palace was the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire. It is located on the promontory of the historical peninsula in İstanbul which overlooks both the Marmara Sea and the Bosphorus. It was built during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II, between 1466 and 1478 atop a hill in a small peninsula between Sea of Marmara, Bosphorus,and the Golden Horn. Topkapi Palace is claimed to be the largest and oldest surviving palace in the world! The Topkapi Palace which was the Imperial Palace of the Ottoman reign during the period from the 15th century to the 19th century, was originally commissioned for construction by Mehmet the Conqueror soon after the Ottomans conquered Turkey in 1453. The Topkapi Palace was built to be the home for the Royal Family of the Ottoman Empire. Topkapi Palace virtual tours can be started by clicking the preview window or by downloading the stand-alone versions. The capital city of Turkey has been the centre of one of the most powerful empires in history: first as Byzantium, then Constantinople and finally Istanbul. Press F9 to get a list of the 3D sites you downloaded (residing in the same directory). Despite the grandeur of Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, sultans and various other royalty began to favor an area on the Bosporus coast, and before long, new palaces were being built in the area. The Topkapi palace of Istanbul, Turkey can be either a photographers dream or an absolute nightmare. The Topkapi Palace – the imperial court and the centre of Ottoman power for 375 years – is possibly the most famous of all Ottoman heritage in Istanbul. For me, the visit was a nightmare. To the left of the courtyard is an Imperial Mint that dates back to the eighteenth century and produced the empire’s gold and silver coins. Topkapi Palace built by Sultan Mehmet II between 1465 and 1479. The Gate was built in 1478 during the Sultan Mehmed II (the Conqueror) era, it is now covered in 19th-century marble. Served as the royal residence for Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years, Topkapi Palace is actually a large complex consisting of four main courtyards and many smaller buildings including mosques, harem, a hospital, bakeries, and mansions. In the 15th century, it served as the main residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans. This massive gate opens into the First Courtyard. Instead, the original palace was expanded many times over, which is why a visitor will notice such a variety in designs and architectural styles. This grand palace was the official residence of the Ottoman Sultans for almost 400 years and is also a UNESCO world heritage site since 1985. Topkapı Palace Photos. The first conquest of Constantinople between the years 1460-1478. The Harem Mosque . Topkapi Palace, Istanbul. Blog. Welcome to the Topkapi Palace Museum,Formerly called the Saray-i Amire (Imperial Palace), the Topkapi Palace was built in 1459 on the old Byzantine city. For the next installment in his series, Yenen describes the fascinating history and mesmerizing beauty of Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace. Be the first to rate this post. Topkapı Palace, looking across the Bosphorus. The Imperial Gate of the Topkapi Palace in Turkish is called Bab- i Humayun. It was built by the conqueror of Istanbul, Mehmed II, between the years 1458-1478, and it was up until the 19th century that other extensions were made by other sultans who ruled after him. The Topkapi Palace was built in 1459 by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, the man responsible for the Turkish conquest of Constantinople. The entire palace was never built to a fixed plan. Topkapı Palace (Topkapi Sarayi) was the seat and residence of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire. The Topkapi Palace was originally built in the 15 th century, and served as a regal palace for generations of Ottoman Sultans, housing the rulers and their extensive families. WELCOME. To install the listed sites as a screensaver press F5. Good to Know When should I visit Topkapı Palace? Topkapi Palace was the first Ottoman palace to be built (1466-1478) in the newly conquered capital of the Empire by sultan Mehmet II. Topkapi Palace One of the most popular attractions and most visited museum in Turkey, Topkapi Palace, was built by Sultan Mehmed II in 1478 as the seat of government and the original name is Saray-I Cedid which means the New Palace as it is the second palace built in Istanbul by the Ottomans after the conquest of Constantinople in 1453. For most tourists, the Topkapi Palace is usually number one on the list of places to visit in Istanbul. More. Use the scroll wheel to zoom at the details. It was also the center of the state administration. The Topkapi Palace was built by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror in 1478 and became the official residence of the Ottoman sultans and administrative center for 380 years until Abdulmecit built the Dolmabahce Palace. The Palace was built is 1465 and has housed countless Sultans, servants, concubines, and royal family … It was... See full answer below. The Topkapi Palace is the biggest and one of the most popular sites to visit in Istanbul. 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