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 | Istanbul Topkapi Palace Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 215 |  |
 | |  |  | Topkapi Palace: Topkapi Palace (Topkapi Sarayi) | Tip Rating:   |  |  | |  |
Between 1459 and 1465, shortly after his conquest of Constantinople, Mehmet II built Topkapi Palace as his principal residence. Situated atop a hill in Seraglio Point, the palace also served as the residence for subsequent sultans until Sultan Abdul Mecit I abandoned it in 1853 in favor of the luxurious Dolmabahce Palace built farter north up the Bosphorus. One of the most notable features of the palace is the harem (the Arabic word for "forbidden"), the rsidence of the sultan's wives, concubines, and children. Topkapi Palace has been open to the public as a museum since 1924 and an entry fee is required (12,000,000 TL when we visited). The palace is enormous and can easily take several hours to see in its totality. You can purchase a separate ticket to tour the harem, but we passed on it after being told that you don't get much for your money and that the manaquins throughout the tour of kind of hokey. Just down the hill from Topkapi Palace is the Istanbul Archeological Museum, also worth a visit. It charges a small fee and is filled with four stories of interesting archaeological items. The Archeological Museum can easily take several hours to see in its entirety as well. Leave a Comment
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| | | | Topkapi Palace: choosing wisely in the Topkapi | Tip Rating: | | | | |
The Topkapi made me wish I had visited in spring instead of January (I'll HAVE to revisit). The grounds are huge, and wandering about was a true pleasure. ABout the Treasury: I didn't think it was worth the ($9 USD) admission price, but here is why. It mainly features jewel-decorated items that in their own right are splendid, but not my thing, personally. If you seek works of art that are more expressionistic or decorative, there are better places to spend your time and money. Status-reaffirming ems just don't thrill me. But if they thrill you, there won't be any disappointment at the Treasury. About the Harem: do see it, as the Iznik tile work alone make it worth the time, as do the architectural elements in general - it's special. My favorite part was the Dining Room of Ahmet III, or the Fruit Room. Beautiful. Who thinks these things up??? I did have one experience at the Topkapi I will never forget. There is an exhibit there - I think it's permanent - on religious objects and Korans. It's a great exhibit. The entire time I was there, I heard music, and didn't think anything of it until I walked into a room to see a man in a glass-enclosed cublicle (of sorts) singing the Koran. It may be one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard, and I must have stood there for 20 minutes listening to him. That day I made it a point to stop in a music shop and purchase a CD of a man singing the Koran, but it was not nearly as eloquent as what I had heard in person (if anyone knows of an outstanding recording of such a thing, please let me know!). Because of the song, I felt further immersed in the culture I was viewing. If you happen to be there, take time to listen... it has its own fruitful rewards. Leave a Comment Address: Babihumayun Cad
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| | | | Topkapi Palace: The Sultan's Palace | Tip Rating: | | | | |
The Topkapi Palace was one of the sights I liked the most on my visit to Istanbul. It is huge, composed of 4 Courtyards, so , if you want to see it all, be sure to save at least a morning to see it. The Topkapi Palace was more than just the private residence of the Sultan and his court. It was the seat of the supreme executive and judiciary council, the Divan and the training school, the Palace School. In the First Courtyard, there were a hospital, bakery,arsenal, a state mint, a part of the treasury and the Outer Service. It was open to public. The Second Courtyard was open to people who had business with the council. The Third Courtyard was reserved to the Sultan's household and palace children. The Fourth Courtyard was exclusively reserved for the Sultan's use. I specially liked to see the Harem and the Treasury. You have to buy a ticket separately to see the Harem, which is located in the 2nd Courtyard and you will have a guided tour. The tours are conducted every 30 minutes.( 9.30am - 12.30pm and 1.30pm-4.00pm). A ticket costs 10 YTL. The Treasury consists of four different halls which are located on the eastern corner of the Third Courtyard. These rooms were used as a suite of reception rooms by some of the sultans. It has wonderful jewellery and treasure pieces, incredibly valuable. Leave a Comment
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| | | | Topkapi Palace: Topkapi Sarayi | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Shortly after the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the young leader of the Turks, Mehmet II, organized construction on a new Grand Palace for his empire. After it's completion in 1465, Topkapi Palace housed the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire for almost 400 years, until Dolmabahçe Palace was opened in 1856. Then in 1924 under the direction of Atatürk, Topkapi was turned into a museum. The site of Topkapi, precisely where the original city was founded in the 7th century B.C., provides amazing views of much of Istanbul, as well as the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus, & the Sea of Marmara. The numerous, and well maintained gardens and courtyards among the complex are quite lovely, and provide an excellent backdrop for the structure itself. A general admission ticket will allow you to see the main grounds of the palace, along with many areas within it. For additional fees you can see the Palace Treasury or take a guided tour of the Harem: the residence of many Sultan wives and children. Among the sights here, there are many treasures and relics from old empire, as well as costumes and ceremonial items from several past Sultans. Some of the decor of the palace is amazing, with detailed Iznik ceramic tiles and golden trim surrounding most of the ceilings. There is also wonderful information in each area regarding it's significance and history, and a timeline of each Sultan's reign. Due to it's popularity, Topkapi can get quite crowded during the peak of the day. But it is definitely a site worth visiting in Istanbul! Directions: Located in Sultanahmet
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Istanbul
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