For almost four hundred years, Topkapı Palace on the tip of Istanbul's historic peninsula was the residence of the Ottoman sultans and the administrative heart of the empire. Today it is one of the largest palace museums in the world.
A palace of courtyards
Construction began under Sultan Mehmed II after the conquest of Constantinople. Rather than one grand building, Topkapı is a sequence of courtyards and pavilions, each more private than the last, with views over the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara.
Harem, Treasury and relics
Highlights include the tiled rooms of the Harem, the Imperial Treasury with the Spoonmaker's Diamond and the Topkapı Dagger, the Imperial Council chamber and the collection of sacred relics. The palace kitchens hold a large collection of Chinese porcelain.
Visiting
The sultans moved to Dolmabahçe Palace in the 19th century, and Topkapı became a museum in 1924. Allow at least half a day; the Harem has a separate ticket. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Basilica Cistern are all within walking distance.
