 | Istanbul Topkapi Palace Reviews | Tips 81 - 90 of 217 |  |
Situated in the first court of Topkapi Palace, Hagia Eirene is one of the earliest Christian churches in Istanbul.
It was first constructed by Constantine the Great but it was destroyed by a fire during the Nika Revolt in 537.Emperor Justinian immediately rebuilt Hagia Eirene because together with Hagia Sophia, these two churches formed two essential religious establishments. Today the church is used for special exhibitions and occasional concerts. Leave a Comment Address: Topkapi Palace first court
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Behind Aya Sofya is the Imperial Gate (Bab-i Hümayun) leading to the First Court of the Topkapi Palace. This was the main gate to the palace.
Go through the gardens to come to the ticket office at the Second Court. Leave a Comment
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My two clearest memories of Topkapi were the view of the Bosphorus & Marmara and the large emeralds! [although we were told that they are "probably fake"]
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This palace was the home of Ottoman sultans for 4 centuries only ending in 1860. The picture is of The Gate of Felicity and an entrance hall. Leave a Comment
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The Harem was the privat qaurters of the palace. It was the home of the women (the sultans mother, his wifes and concubines) and the children. The only men allowed to enter the harem was the sultan and his sons, and the eunuchs. Leave a Comment
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On a hill overlooking the meeting of the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn, and the Sea of Marmara, stands a monument to over 400 years of Ottoman rule, Topkapi Palace. "Topkapi" means Cannon Gate, and probably came to designate the palace because of the two cannons that guarded its most important water-gates. Before that it was called the "Grand Seraglio" by the Europeans, and simply "saray" (the Persian word for palace), by the Turks. Leave a Comment
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An incredible example of tilework and inlay. This building was created over a period of years beginning in 1048. It was a commemoration of the re-conquest of Baghdad. Leave a Comment
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Topkapi Palace used to be the home of Sultans from Ottoman Empire. To get to know the history of Ottoman Empire, a guided tour in Topkapi Palace would be very educating. You will be amazed with Kasikci Diamond and other interesting artifacts like the sword of Fatih Sultan Mehmet who conquered Istanbul in 1453. Address: Topkapi Palace near Sultanahmet SquareDirections: Located in Historic Peninsula.
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The Sultan Mehmet the Second, the Conqueror, built this palace between 1459 1465 as his main residence. The palace consists in fact of a series of pavilions rose in four courtyards, which represents a version in stone of the tent camps where the nomad Ottomans lived.
The buildings are simple and not outstanding as architecture, impressive are The Baghdad and The Circumcision Pavilion, superbly decorated with white and blue Iznik faience.
The Treasure of the Palace contains astonishing things. The Topkapi Dagger and the 86 karat diamond called The Spoonmaker ( it was bought from a small merchant for three spoons, who found it in a pile of garbage ), are extremely beautiful pieces.
Then there are jewelry and weapons, among them the exquisite sword and dagger which belonged to the Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, thrones encrusted in precious stones, or aigrettes for the turbans, enchant your sight.
Not less impressive is the metal coat encrusted with diamonds used at ceremonies by Sultan Mustafa the Third ( 1520 1566 )
There in the kitchens you can see astonishing porcelain from Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.
Within the Sacred Mantel pavilion there are exposed some of the most sacred relics of the Islam, among them the mantel wore by the Prophet Muhammad. Here, night and day, faithful Muslims sing passages from Koran.
Also exposed are the sword of David, the turban and the wood stick of Moses. Unfortunately, there is no explanation about which David and which Moses. Could they be the Jewish from the Old Testament??? Leave a Comment
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The view from the terrace of theTopkapi palace (in the 4th part of the palace) is very nice... The picture gives one side and the other one is on the intro page of Istanbul Leave a Comment
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The Topkapi palace is a complex of magnificent buildings, now turned into a world famous museum.
It is located in a dominant position in the Sultanahmet district, exactly at the confluence of the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn and the Marmara sea. Leave a Comment
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