Ottoman Empire Sultans Palace
Located on a peninsula in Istanbul and offering sweeping views of the Golden Horn, the Sea of Marmara and the straits of the Bosphorus, the Topkapi Palace was once the exalted seat of the Ottoman sultans. The palace was built in the 15th century at the behest of Sultan Mehmet II after the conquest of Constantinople. From the 15th to the 19th century, the palace was the cornerstone of the Ottoman Empire. Its power was ceded to the newer Dolmabahce Palace on the coast.
Like any other palace, Topkapi Palace was rebuilt and renovated several times over the 400 years that various sultans ruled over it, but the basic and historical architectural form of the palace has remained essentially in place. Towards the end of the Ottoman Empire in 1923, the palace was eventually converted into a museum. In the various rooms of the palace, in the treasury and in the imperial harems, the essence of this past empire can still be felt. Numerous objects from the heyday of the Ottoman Empire adorn the museum today, from illuminated manuscripts and ancient weapons to diamonds and ornate miniatures and most important of all Sacred Relics including the Prophet’s Mantle.
Below are our group and private tours or art activities that may interest you.
