Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace and Harem

9:12 PM Harem , Historical Place , Islamic Calligraphic , Ottoman Miniatures , Topkapi Palace , Tourist Attraction , travel 0 Comments

Are you planning to travel to Istanbul? Well, a great to be visited. Istanbul is known as the heart of Turkey, as it holds historical importance in the eyes of the locals. One of the beautiful places to be visited in Istanbul is the heritage palace, Topkapi Palace. The Topkapi Palace is a large palace for the major residences of Ottoman Sultans. This palace was the primary residence for the sultans from 400 years, 1465 to 1856. The Topkapi Palace, which is the major attraction for the tourists today, was once the venue for major entertainment sessions and royal occasions.

Topkapi Palace is one of those historical monuments which contain a numerous holy relics of the Muslim religion including Muhammad’s cloak and sword. Topkapi Sarayi is described to the number fourth best ensembles palace of the Ottoman period after being declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. The palace was originally named as New Palace to make it different from the site of residents but after the expansion and renovation after 1509 earthquake and 1665 fire, it was called Topkapi. The palace was took over by government and was declared as Topkapi Palace Museum in the 19th century.

The importance of this heritage building can be perceived by the Ottoman architecture. The museum of the imperial era has a large collection of the historical artifacts and equipments of the Turkish culture including weapons, shields, Ottoman miniatures, Islamic Calligraphic scripts and traditional jewelry. 

Harem, the Imperial Harem was the home of sultans’ mother, Valide Sultan. It was also a rest place for the wives of the sultan along with servants and children. The Harem contains number of unique buildings and structures connected through courtyard, having more than 100 rooms in each courtyard, out of which few are open for public and tourists. Daires, the special apartments in the Harem were only occupied by the Sultan, his Princes and the Queen Mother, Valide Sultan.

It is quite interesting to know that the utmost authority of the Harem was with the Queen Mother who used to rule the other women of the family. The black African, Khizlar Agha was the head of the guards who was responsible for the safety and guarding of the Imperial Harem.  

Other than the family history of Harem, the social and political importance of this place is because it is the ultimate symbol Sultan’s power. The Harem is also called the “Golden Cage”

After all this history, the palace is worth a visit. The Topkapi Palace Museum can be visited between 9:00 AM to 4:45 PM in winter and the ticket booth closes at 4:00 PM. In summer season, it can be visited between 9:00 AM to 6:45 PM and the ticket booth closes at 6:45 PM. The ticket is valid for 12 hours, you’re supposed to visit the palace within 12 hours. It remains closed on Tuesday.

Don’t leave regret behind because of not visiting this beautiful palace during your trip to Istanbul.