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 The Topkapi Palace by Paul2001
The palace was first built by Mehmet the Conqueror just after his capture of Constantinople in 1453. His successors lived here for nearly 400 years until they began to take up residence in the Dolmabahce Palace, just across the Golden Horn.
The palace is quite different from the European concept of a palace. It is much more enclosed being built around four courtyards. Surrounding these courtyards, within the perimeter walls, are a series of pavilions, chambers, halls, kitchens and even smaller courtyards. Among them are the famous harem and treasury. Each of these must see attractions can only be visited by purchasing an additional ticket. This is why the cost of your tour of the Topkapi with cost you an arm and a leg. I figure that my visit cost me $34.00CDN in all. Just the same, the whole place is engrossing and it is hard not to pass up not seeing all of it.
Supposedly it cost $10.00 to just enter the palace grounds and a additional $10.00 each to tour the Harem and the Treasury. This price will adjust with the change in the exchange rate. So there maybe some relief from the high cost.
The palace is open everyday but Tuesday from 9:30am to 5pm. The Harem which only can be visited by guided tour, is closed at lunchtime. Leave a Comment Phone: 512-0480Directions: In the Sultanahmet.
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 by MalenaN
Entrance is 10 000 000 TL.
After entering the harem the group first stops in the old qaurters of the black eunuchs where the walls are decorated with Kütahya tiles from the 17th century. Leave a Comment
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 by MalenaN
12 000 000 TL. But that is not enough. If you want to see the best parts, the harem and the treasury, you have to pay more. 10 000 000 TL for the harem and another 10 000 000 TL for the treasury.
I decided to see the harem but not the treasury as it would have been to expensive. But now I wish I had seen the treasury as well. Leave a Comment
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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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 The gates of Topkapi Palace by midnight_mike
Unfortunately, there is not much furniture left in Topkapi Palace. In the 19th century, the sultans moved to glamorous mansions on the European side of Bosphorus such as Dolmabahce Palace. Address: Topkapi SarayiPhone: 5120480
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 Entrance to Topkapi
Palace by H-TownJourneyman |
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Another sight that we visited in Sultanahmet district of the old Istanbul is the Topkapi Palace. For four centuries Topkapi Palace was a home to all Ottomans Sultans until 1860. The palace is divided into many different pavilions, chambers rooms. In the chambers of the Sacred Relics there are many artefacts belonging to Prophet Muhammad, his footprint, the swords, the bamboo bow, hairs from the beard and chest of the Holy Mantle. The display of the black stone (Hacer ul Esved stone) with the golden cover is the black stone which fell from heaven within the Kaaba. The chambers display of one of the oldest Koran written on deer skin. The relics were brought to Istanbul when the Ottoman’s assumed the Caliphates of Islam. There are also many other relics in the chamber.
The Ottomans kitchens are converted into gallery. The gallery display the finest collection of the Imperial Ottoman Empire. In here you will see gifts from other empire, the collection of Chinese porcelain from the Ming dynasty, Japanese porcelain, silverware, crystals and others.
Other rooms like the Costume, Treasury, Harem that tourist can visits. The Treasury room is a collection of the most expensive diamond. The Costume room display some of the Sultans costumes. Then there’s the Harem room where the black eunuchs, concubines, the Sultan mother are kept. The occupants had no freedom. No one from the outside world was permitted to enter the room. The Harem room was a place for the Sultans to have sexual activities.
The restaurants and café is located on the north west of the palace. We had lunch and the view facing the Bosphorus is superb. While eating you see the Asian side of Istanbul and to the left the Golden horn bridge.
Give yourself about 2 hours minimum to explore Topkapi Palace.
Open 9am - 5pm, close on Tuesday
Cost $10 - $15, extra cost for Harem Pavillion Address: Topkapi Sarayi Sultanahmet District Old IstanbulPhone: 90 212 512 0480Directions: Not far from Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome
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 by MalenaN
The palace is not one single building but several buildings around four big courtyards. Leave a Comment
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Pavilion of the Holy Mantle
Built on the orders of Sultan Mehmed, the Conqueror. This pavilion is also known as Has Oda (Hall of the Priory Chamber) and is located in the palace's third courtyard. The importance of the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle is that it contains belongings of the Prophet Mohammed, some of the Caliphs and Companions. Some of these were brought from Egypt by Yavuz Sultan Selim and others, collected through various channels, were all placed in this Pavilion of the Topkapý Palace. Amongst the collection is the Mantel (or robe) of the Prophet Mohammed, two of the Prophet's swords, a seal and the Prophet's Holy Standard. There are also four pieces of stone and two of brick with the embedded footprint of the prophet and part of one of his teeth which was broken in the Battle of Uhud. There is a letter written by the Prophet Mohammed to the ruler of Egypt inviting him to convert to Islam and hairs from the Prophet's beard. There are swords which belong to Caliphs and Companions and some pages og the Quran verified to be written by the Caliph Osman and Caliph Ali.I am giving you very useful link to enjoy topkapi palace 360 degrees:
http://www.360tr. com/topkapi/ index.htm
enjoy it !!! Address: topkapi palaceDirections: sultanahmet
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 entrance of topkapi Palace by traveloturc
This main gate to the Topkapi Palace leads to the Kubbealtý where the audience gatherings took place and to the second courtyard where the Treasury was located. .To enter through this gate, everyone but the Sultan was obliged to dismount. Built in 1564 during the reign of Sultan Süleyman, the Magnificient, its main features are it's two octagonal towers.
Not : Topkapi is the name of the palace and please dont confuse with a district with the same name.This district is very far to topkapi palace and has no connection with the palace .
I am giving you very useful link to enjoy topkapi palace 360 degrees:
http://www.360tr. com/topkapi/ index.htm
enjoy it !!! Address: topkapi palaceDirections: Sultanahmet
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