Topkapi Palace
|
On
a spot of landat the confluence of the Bosphorus, The Golden Horn and the
Marmara Sea stands the Topkapi Palace, the maze of the buildings
at the center of the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries.
In these opulent surroundings the sultans and their court lived and governed.
A magnificent wooded garden fills the outer or first, court. On the right
of the second court, shaded by cypress and plane trees, stand the palace
kitchens, now galeries exhibiting the imperial collections of crystall,
silver and Chinese porcelain. To the left, the Harem, the secluded quarters
of the wives concubines and children of the sultan, charms visitors with
echoes of the intrigue of centuries. |
Interior Topkapi Palace
|
Today
the third court holds the Hall of Audiencie, the library of
Ahmet III, an exhibition of imperial costumes worn by the sultans and their
families, the famous jewels of the treasury and a priceless collection
of miniatures from medieval manuscripts. In the center of this innermost
sanctuary, the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle enshrines the relics of the
Prophet Mohammed brought to Istanbul when the Ottomans assumed the caliphate
of Islam (Open every day except Tuesday) |
Topkapi Palace Hz.Muhammed's
footprint
|
| In
the 19th century, Sultan Abdülaziz built the Beylerbeyi Palace,
a fantasy in white marble amid magnolia-filled gardens, on the Bosphorus
Asia shore. Used as the Sultan's summer residance, it was offered to the
most distinguished foreign dignitaries during their visits. Empress Eugenie
of France was among its residents. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday)
In
addition to the State Pavilions at the Yildiz Palace, the compound
includes a series of pavilions and a mosque. It was completed by Abdülhamit
II. at the end of the 19th century. The Sale, the largest and most exquisite
of the buildings, reveals the luxury in which the sultans lived and entertained.
Set in a huge park of flowers, shrubs and trees, gathered from every part
of the world, the palace grounds offer one of the most beautiful panoramic
views pf the Bosphorus. Because of restoration work, only the Sale and
Park are open to the public. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday) |
Interior, Goksu Pavalion
|
The
Goksu Palace,
also known as Kücüksu, takes its name from the streams which
empty into the Bosphorus near the tiny palace. Buit by Abdülmecit
I. in the middle of the 19th century, it was used as a summer residance.(Open
every day except Monday and Thursday)
|
Aynali Kavak Pavalion
|
Originally
built in the 18th century and later restored by various sultans, the Aynali
Kavak Summer Pavilion assumed its name, Mirrored Poplar, when its famed
mirrors, a gift from some of the Venetians, were installed in 1718. This
palace on the Golden Horn is one of the most beautiful examples of traditional
Turkish architecture (Open every day except Monday and Thursday). |
| The
19th century Ihlamur Pavilion is named after the linden trees that
grow in its gardens. Now in the heart of metropolitan Istanbul, when it
was originally constructed, the pavilion lay in the rolling counryside
that surrounded the city. |
Ihlamur Pavalion
|
| The
Merasim Pavilion was used for offical ceremonies while the Maiyet
Pavilion sheltered the Sultan's entourage and on occasions, his harem
during their excursions out of the palace confines. (Open every day except
Monday and Thursday) |
The
Maslak Pavilion on a shady green hill were conceived by Sultan Abdülaziz
as hunting kodges and are superb examples of the late 19th century Ottoman
decorative style. These are particularly noteworthy.(Open every day except
Monday and Thursday)
|
| The
Florya Ataturk Sea Pavilion served as a summer residence for Turkish
presidents. Built in a T-shaped design jutting out onto the Marmara Sea,
this building constructed in 1935, serves as a showcase for some of the
loveiest examples of nearly 20th century furnishings. Ataturk was the first
president to stay here. (Open every day except Monday and Thursday) |
|
