Topkapi Palace Tickets

Ottoman Imperial Palace is one of the most important places in the Topkapi Palace Museum that hosted administrative headquarters for the magnificents between the 15th and 19th centuries. Sultans, vizirs, eunuchs, officials, and courtiers lived and worked here holding important meetings, and state affairs. The long lost time in Ottoman history when this place served as a court, it had treasures and jewels showcasing the richness of the kings. The palace has several chambers, exhibition halls, treasuries, and the infamous Harem, and welcomes you with the beautiful Imperial gate along with the Rococo-style fountain.

Passing through the Imperial Palace, comes the First Court, the largest of all the courtyards of the palace. Known as the court of Janissaries or the Parade Court as they lived, and worked here while dressing up in their best attire. Following the court, is the church of Hagia Irene, the formal Byzantium church of Aya Irini, serving as an imperial armoury and storehouse for the sultans.

The gilded door leading you to the Imperial council chamber, makes you catch a glimpse of the power of justice at the back as the middle doors take you to the second court or Divan square. The second court was used as a place for running businesses of the empire and the place where the sultan would address the people of Turkey sitting on his gold-plated throne. The second court has a beautiful Park and lies close to the vicinity of Palace Hospital, the janissary quarter, and the Harem.

Almost in every middle eastern empire, the Harem was a precious and captivating place for women to reside. Translating to “Forbidden” or “Private”, the harem lies true to its meaning as this place was not to be entered by any other man except the Sultan. One of the highlights of the Topkapi Palace museum, the harem consists of 400 rooms, and private chambers. Harem was home to the Sultan's concubines, wives, mothers, and children. Women were generally not allowed to go out except for the sultan’s consorts, concubines, favourites, and Valide Sultan with eunuchs participating in Harem affairs.

The entrance of the third court is via the sultan’s private chamber through a gate known as the Gate of Felicity. The third court falls into the category of the inner palace, surrounded by the privacy chamber, harem, library, the treasury, and the quarters of Agas with the Mosque of the Agas being the most important part of the third courtyard. The third courtyard was set up by Mehmed II who would not sleep in Harem leading to this place becoming more popular amongst the future sultans.

Situated in the east of the third court is the imperial treasury constructed by the Conqueror Sultan Mehmed II in the 15th century. The treasury was a place where the riches of the Ottoman Empire like gold, silver, diamonds, rubies, pearls, and emeralds were kept hidden from everyone’s eyes. This place is the home to the sword of Suleman, the magnificent, and various lavish possessions of the glorious Ottoman Empire.

Fourth Court is contained by the pavilions including the infamous Medicine Klosk built by Sultan Abdulmecit known for Dolmabahce palace. This is the place where sultans and the other royals lived their private lives away from everyone. Different varieties of flowers were in the Tulip garden built by Ahmed 3 leading to a terrace upstairs. In modern-day Turkey, the infamous Konyali Restaurant.

The Topkapi Palace History starts from the rule of Sultan Mehmed II in the 15th century, Topaki Palace was the home of the Ottoman Empire and had the most important state affairs and events in the history occurring in the palace. Topaki Palace’s construction was commenced by the sultan in 1459 and took 6 years to be completed only to be initially called “the new palace”. The women of the Sultan family along with the concubines lived in the Harem, and Grand Vizir would operate in the Imperial Building along with large courtyards and gardens making the place even more delightful. The complex expanded century by century under the rules of different Ottoman Sultans and went into major renovations twice after 1509 earthquakes and 1665 major fires. In the 18th century, the palace was considered to be too old for the “Modern Ottoman Sultans', hence everything was shifted from the palace only to be turned into the topkapi palace museum in 1924.

The palace was divided into three parts, the outer palace, the inner palace having official meetings and government affairs, and the Harem for females. The outer part of the palace has enormous courtyards and beautiful gardens including the infamous Gulhana Park and the large imperial Flower Park. Several gardens enchanting fountains, and pools, and had sections for various animals like Lions, horses, etc. The inner part has large service buildings used as dwellings made up of wood, and stones while the Harem where the Sultan’s consorts, and concubines lived along with hosting the times of celebrations, and events.

Officially known as the Grand Mosque, and formally as the Church of Wisdom, Hagia Sophia has been a popular mosque since 1453 after the end of the Byzantine Empire. A mosque converted into a museum unlike many other palaces, Hagia Sophia was again converted into a mosque recently in 2020. Once considered a marvelous achievement of the Byzantine 1600 years ago, this place was the largest existing Christian church in the Eastern world constructed with Roman brick. Following a Cathedral style of Roman architecture, Hagia Sophia was given Turkish-style looks as it was converted into a mosque. The Hagia Sophia Dome built of the bricks and mortar rests in tcentertre in between the two half domes.

Officially named Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the Blue Mosque is located in Fatih Istanbul, Turkey. Today, it is a functioning mosque that has a large number of visits every day such as Pope Benedict XVI had visited as well. Built by Sultan Ahmed I in the 17th century, the mosque was constructed on the Byzantine sites in front of Hagia Sophia, and the hippodrome. The Blue Mosque has the tomb of Ahmed I along with his consort Kosem Sultan, and his three Sultan-Sons. The interior is beautiful with 200 stained glass windows, decorative verses from the Quran, and enchanting walls hand-painted in blue.

In the middle of Asia, and Europe, lies Turkey as a cross-connection of the east, and the west. Bosphorous is an international waterway that separates Asian Turkey and European Turkey. If you have Topkapi Palace Tickets, you must add the Bosphorus cruise to your list. Boarding the Bosphorus cruise is an enchanting experience that would take you to see the beauty of Turkey with its historical display, modern architecture, and prominent hills, from an international perspective. To enjoy the wonderful looks, cruises tour in the waters to make you catch a glimpse of the Turkiye. Boarding a Bosphorus cruise will make you see the mesmerizing sites of Kucuksu Palace, Galata Tower, Hagia Sophia, Anatolian Fortress, etc.