Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

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The Yerevan Kiosk was built in 1636 and served as a religious retreat of 40 days. It is a rather small pavilion with a central dome and three apses for sofas and textiles. The fourth wall contains the door and a fireplace. The wall facing the colonnade is set with marble, the other walls with low-cost Iznik blue-and-white tiles, patterned after those of a century earlier. Unfortunately, it was being renovated when I visited at the end of December 2009.

The Terrace Mosque, also called Sofa Mosque, was constructed under Mahmud II in the Empire style for the use of the corps called Sofa Ocagi in the 19th century. The Kiosk of the Sword bearer used to stand in its place. The inscription at the gate of the mosque indicated that it was restored under Sultan Abdulmecid I in 1858.

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The Mecidiye Kosku in the fourth courtyard, also known as the Grand Kiosk, Grand Pavilion or Kiosk of Abdul Mecid I, built in 1840, was the last significant addition to the palace, along with the neighbouring Wardrobe Chamber. Both were built on the orders of Sultan Abdul Mecid I as an imperial reception and resting place because of its splendid location, giving a panoramic view on the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus. The sultans would stay here whenever they visited Topkapi from their seaside palaces.

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The Imperial Treasury is a vast collection of works of art, jewellery, heirlooms of sentimental value and money belonging to the Ottoman dynasty. It is housed in the Conqueror’s Pavilion, built under Sultan Mehmed II and is one of the oldest buildings inside the palace, built around 1460, when the palace was first constructed. Most of the objects in the Imperial Treasury consisted of gifts, spoils of war, or pieces produced by palace craftsmen.

The objects exhibited in the Imperial Treasury today are a representative selection of its contents, which mainly consist of jewelled objects made of gold and other precious materials. Among the many treasuries that are on exhibition in four adjoining rooms, the first room houses one the armours of Sultan Mustafa III, consisting of an iron coat of mail decorated with gold and encrusted with jewels, his gilded sword and shield and gilded stirrups. The next display shows several Qur'an covers belonging to the sultans, decorated with pearls plus the ebony throne of Murad IV inlaid with nacre and ivory. In other cabinets are looking glasses decorated with rare gems, precious stones, emeralds and cut diamonds.

The second room houses the Topkapi Dagger. The golden hilt is ornamented with three large emeralds, topped by a golden watch with an emerald lid. The most eye-catching jewel in the third room is the Spoon maker’s Diamond, set in silver and surrounded in two ranks with 49 cut diamonds. I think this is the fifth largest diamond in the world.

The throne of Sultan Mahmud I is the centrepiece of the fourth room. This golden throne in Indian style, decorated with pearls and emeralds, was a gift of the Persian ruler Nader Shah in the 18th century. Another exhibit shows the forearm and the hand of St. John the Baptist, set in a golden covering plus his skull. Several displays show an assembly of flintlock guns, swords, and spoons, all decorated with gold and jewels. Of special interest is the golden shrine that used to contain the cloak of the prophet Mohammed.

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The Neo-classical Library of Sultan Ahmet III is located directly behind the Audience Chamber in the centre of the Third Courtyard. It was built on the foundations of the earlier Havuzlu kiosk by the royal architect Mimar Beshir Aga in 1719 on orders of Ahmet III for use by officials of the royal household.

The library is a beautiful example of Ottoman architecture of the 18th century. The exterior of the building is faced with marble. The library has the form of a Greek cross with a domed central hall and three rectangular bays. Beneath the central arch of the portico is an elaborate drinking fountain with niches on each side. The building is set on a low basement to protect the precious books of the library against moisture. It contained books on theology, Islamic law and similar works of scholarship in Ottoman Turkish, Arabic and Persian plus more than 3,500 manuscripts.

The Mosque of the Eunuchs is the largest mosque in the palace complex and is located in the Thrid Courtyard, on the left near the Harem exit after you enter through the Gate of Felicity. It is also one of the oldest constructions, dating from the 15th century during the reign of Mehmed II. The Sultan, the eunuchs and pages would come here to pray. The mosque is aligned in a diagonal line in the courtyard, in order to make the minbar face towards Mecca.

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The Audience Chamber, also known as Audience Hall or Chamber of Petitions, is located right behind the Gate of Felicity, in order to hide the view towards the Third Courtyard. This square building is an Ottoman kiosk, surrounded by a colonnade of 22 columns, supporting the large roof with hanging eaves. Inside is the main throne room with a dome and two smaller adjacent rooms. This audience hall was also called "Inner Council hall" in contrast to the "outer" Imperial Council hall in the Second Courtyard.

It is an old building, dating from the 15th century, and further decorated under Suleiman I. Here the sultan would sit on the canopied throne and personally receive the viziers, officials and foreign ambassadors who presented themselves.

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The Gate of Felicity is the entrance into the Inner Court, also known as the Third Courtyard, marking the border to the Outer Court. The Third Courtyard comprises the private and residential areas of the palace. The gate has a dome which is supported by lean marble pillars. It represents the presence of the Sultan in the palace. No one could pass this gate without the authority of the Sultan. Even the Grand Vizier was only granted authorisation on specified days and under specified conditions. It was probably constructed under Mehmed II in the 15th century and was redecorated in the rococo style in 1774 under Sultan Mustafa III and during the reign of Mahmud II.