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TOPKAPI PALACE It is located on the
promontory of the historical peninsula in İstanbul which overlooks both
the Marmara Sea and the Bosphorus. The walls enclosing the palace grounds,
the main gate on the land side and the first buildings were constructed
during the time of Fatih Sultan Mehmet (the Conqueror) (1451 - 81). The
palace has taken its present layout with the addition of new structures in
the later centuries.
Topkapı Palace was the official
residence of the Ottoman Sultans, starting with Fatih Sultan Mehmet until
1856, when Abdülmecid moved to the Dolmabahçe palace, functioned as the
administrative center of the state. The Enderun section also gained
importance as a school. The main exterior gate of the Topkapı Palace is the Imperial
Gate (Bab-ı Hümayun) which opens up to the Ayasofya Square. This gate
leads to a garden known as the First Court. This court has the Aya Irini
Church which was once used as an ammunition depot and behind the Church
there is the mint. In the past various pavillions allocated to different
services of the palace were located in the First Court. In later years
these have ben replaced with public buildings and schools. Some of these
are still existing. At the end of the 19th century Archeology Museum and
School of Fine Arts (now Oriental Works Museum) were built in the large
garden which is to the northwest of the First Court. The oldest structure
in this section is the Çinili Köşk built by Fatih, which is now used as
the Museum of Turkish Tiles and Ceramics. On the walls of this outer
garden facing Bab-ı ali (the Imperial Gate), there is Alay Köşkü
(procession Pavillion) where the Sultans used to watch the marching
ceremonies. A section of the outer garden was planned by the municipality
at the beginning of the 20th century and opened to the public. Known today
as the Gülhane Park, the entrance has one of the larger gates of the
palace. After the First Court, there is the Second Court which
contains the palace buildings. It is entered through a monumental gate
called Bab'us-Selam or the Middle Gate. The buildings in this court form
the outer section of the palace which is called Birun. On the right there
are the instantly noticed palace kitchens with their domes and chimneys
and the dormitories of those who worked there. The most important of the
buildings on the left side of the court are the Kubbealtı and the Inner
Treasury. Behind Kubbealtı rises the Justice Tower, which is one of the
symbols of the Topkapı Palace. The Harem section, which comes all the way
to the back of these buildings is entered from the Third Court. Third
Court is entered through the gate called Bab'üs Sa'ade (Gate of the White
Eunuiches). This section of the palace is called Enderun, and it is the
section where the sultans live with their extended families. Hence it is
specially protected. The barracks of the Akağalar, which guard Bab'üs
Sa'ade are on both sides of the gate. There are two structures. The first
which is immediately opposite the gate is the Throne Room or the Audience
Hall. Here the sultans receive the ambassadors and high ranking state
officials such as Grand Visier or the Visiers. Right behind the Throne
Room there is the library built by Ahmet III (1703 - 30). On the right
side of the Third Court, there is the barracks of the Enderun and the
Privy Treasury which is also known as the Mehmet the Conqueror Pavilion.
On the side facing the Fourth Court, there is the Larder Barracks of the
Enderun, the Treasury Chamber and the Chamber of the Sacred Relics. The
left side starts with the Harem. The harem which covers a large part of
the Palace consists of about 60 spaces of varying sizes. The main
structures which are located in front of the Harem, facing the Third Court
are Akağalar Mosque, Sultan Ahmet Mosque, Barracks of the Sacred Relics
Guards and Chambers of the Sacred Relics. Here, the sacred relics brought
back by Sultan Yavuz Selim from Egypt in 1517 are kept. The Fourth Court
is entered from a covered path going from both sides of the Treasury Room.
Here the buildings are located in the first part of the court, which has
two sections of different levels. On the left side of this section called
Lala Garden or Lale Garden there is Mabeyn which is the beginning point of
Harem's access to the garden, terrace for the ladies with removable glass
enclosure, Circumcission Room, Sultan İbrahim Patio and another one of the
symbols of Topkapı palace, the İftariye (or Kameriye) and Baghdat
Pavilion. This pavillion was built by Murad IV in 1640 to commemorate the
Baghdat Campaign. At the center of the first section of the Fourth Court,
there is the Big Pool and Ravan Pavillion next to it. This pavillion was
also built by Murad IV in 1629, to commemorate the Revan Campaign. The
side facing the second section has Sofa Pavilion (Koca Mustafa Pasha
Pavilion), Başbala Tower and Hekimbaşı (Chief Physician) Room. The Sofa
Mosque and Esvap Chamber and the latest built Mecidye Pavilion are on the
right hand side of the Fourth Court. Out of the pavillions built on the
shore of the Marmara Sea, only Sepetciler Mansion has survived until the
present. During 18th. Century when the
Topkapı palace took its final shape, it was sheltering a population of
more than 10.000 in its outer (Birun) and inner (Enderun) and Harem
sections. It shows no archirectural unity as new parts were added in every
period according to the needs. However, this enables us to follow the
stages Ottoman Architecture went through from the 15th to the middle of
the 19th century at the Topkapı Palace. The buildings of the 15th - 17th
centuries are simpler and those of the 18th - 19th centuries, particularly
in terms of exterior and interior ornamentation are more complex.
Topkapı Palace was converted to a museum
in 1924. Parts of the Palace such as the Harem, Baghdat Pavilion, Revan
Pavilion, Sofa Pavilion, and the Audiance Chamber distinguish themselves
with their architectural assets,while in other sections artifacts are
displayed which reflect the palace life. The museum also has collections
from various donations and a
library. |