Discover the Secrets of Topkapı Palace

Topkapı Palace was the residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years. Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror had it begun in 1459, and it was largely complete by the late 1460s; the complex grew with the empire: courtyards, pavilions, gardens, kitchens, and a harem of hundreds of rooms. State business, palace ceremonies, and family life all happened inside these walls, along with plenty of political intrigue. Today it is part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Areas of Istanbul and one of the most visited museums in Istanbul. Plan for several hours. The palace is laid out as a series of courtyards, and each covers a different side of imperial life, from the council chamber where decisions of state were made to the private quarters of the sultan's household.

What to see

• The courtyards: the palace is a series of four courtyards, each more private than the last, entered through the Gate of Salutation and the Gate of Felicity.
• The Imperial Council (Divan): the chamber where viziers met to govern the empire, with a grilled window through which the sultan could listen unseen.
• The Harem: hundreds of tiled rooms, courtyards and corridors where the sultan’s family lived. It has its own entrance, and it is the part most visitors remember.
• The Treasury: jewelled thrones, the famous Topkapı Dagger and the Spoonmaker’s Diamond, one of the largest diamonds in the world.
• The Sacred Relics: rooms holding relics revered in Islam, where a recitation of the Quran is often heard.
• The kitchens: vast domed kitchens that once fed thousands, now showing a remarkable collection of Chinese porcelain.
• The fourth courtyard: elegant pavilions such as the Baghdad Kiosk and terraces with sweeping views over the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn.

Visiting tips

• Allow at least three hours; half a day if you want to see everything without rushing.
• Tickets: there is an entry fee, and the Harem may need a separate or combined ticket. Prices change, so check the current options before you go. The Museum Pass Istanbul also covers the palace.
• Queues are longest from late morning in summer and at weekends.
• Wear comfortable shoes: the courtyards are large and the paving is uneven.
• A guide or audio guide brings the rooms to life; without one, much of the story is easy to miss.

What’s nearby

The palace gates are just behind Hagia Sophia. Gülhane Park, the old palace gardens, runs down the hill towards the sea, and the Istanbul Archaeology Museums are just inside it. The Blue Mosque and the Basilica Cistern are a few minutes’ walk away.

Photo: Carlos Delgado, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons