On a high hill, washed by the waters of the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus, stands the amazing Topkapi complex, fenced by a massive fortress wall with original-shaped towers. For centuries, it was the residence of the Ottoman sultans.
In the popular TV series “The Magnificent Century”, according to the scenario, the action takes place in this palace. Here, according to the authors, the Sultan Suleiman lived surrounded by his harem. However, the film was shot not in the palace itself, but in the largest pavilion with an area of 5 thousand square meters. m, built specifically for this series.
Where is the palace of Sultan Suleiman
This question is probably of interest to many fans of the famous series. The palace is located on the picturesque cape Sarayburnu. At this place, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus connect with the Sea of Marmara. This is the famous historical center of the capital.
Topkapi - a city in the city
This unprecedented architectural monument covers an area of 700 thousand square meters. m. To realize these sizes, you can use the following examples: Topkapi Palace is only half the size of the state of Monaco and half the size of the Vatican.
The construction of the palace began in 1462 under the Sultan Mehmet the Second. It lasted for several centuries. Each subsequent ruler added something of his own to the complex. The splendor of these buildings still amazes everyone who has seen them. The palace of the Sultan Suleiman in Istanbul is often called the city in the city. Once there lived about fifty thousand people. The palace had its own mosques, baths and even a zoo.
How Topkapi was used
In the early years of its existence, the functions of the palace were comparable to those of the European parliaments - Ottoman officials consulted here with the Sultan, and political and economic issues were resolved.
In the 16th century, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent moved his numerous harem here. At the same time, numerous overhauls were made. For the entire period when the famous palace was the permanent residence of the Sultans, 24 rulers were replaced in it. In the 19th century, the ruling sultan at that time built a new castle overlooking the Bosphorus, which he later moved from Topkapi.
Palace today
Today, the palace of the Sultan Suleiman in Istanbul is the world's most famous museum, in which the number of exhibits reaches 65,000 copies. It should be noted that this is only a tenth of the existing collection.
Palace Museum
Today Topkapi is a unique open-air museum. Istanbul is famous for many historical monuments. The palace of the Sultan Suleiman, whose photo you see in our article, occupies a worthy place in this list.
The palace complex has four courtyards that share a monumental gate. For example, the sultan rode into the palace on a horse through the Imperial Gate, his subjects had the right to pass under the arch only on foot. The second courtyard could be reached through the Welcome Gate. They got this name because of the low arches, passing through which, everyone had to bow their heads.
Through the Blessed Gate one could enter the third courtyard. They were named just like that, because it was believed that any approach to the Sultan would grant a person unearthly grace.
The first courtyard was intended for service buildings and the Janissaries barracks - the troops of the Sultan. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Janissaries represented the military estate, which was pride and intimidation for the enemies of the Sultan. They had great power and could influence the officials of the empire.
Traveling Ancient Istanbul
The magnificent city, which has experienced many events in its history, has a huge number of attractions and ancient monuments. The Sultan Suleiman Palace in Istanbul is not the only object that deserves the attention of tourists. There are many such masterpieces. The palaces of Istanbul, one more beautiful than the other, in the old days glorified their owners. Today they talk about the most interesting events in the history of this city. If you arrived in the ancient city on your own, then you will need a map of Istanbul with attractions and their addresses.
Byzantine Empire
This period in the life of the city, unfortunately, did not leave the current generation of palaces in their original form. In some areas of the city you can see the ruins, but, unfortunately, there was no trace of the former pomp and grandeur.
Ottoman period
Palaces of this period, too, are far from all preserved. The most valuable monument of the era is the palace of the Sultan Suleiman in Istanbul. A vivid example of the architecture of that period can be considered the palace of Beylerbey. It is built of white marble and stone. The magnificent building is made in the Baroque style. The palace was the summer residence of the Sultans' families, and was also used to accommodate high-ranking persons visiting Istanbul. Compared to Topkapi, the building is small - 26 spacious rooms and six huge front rooms. The interior uses a combination of European and Eastern styles. The palace is surrounded by magnolia gardens, decorated with sculptural compositions brought from Europe.
We should recall the palace of Ibrahim Pasha, which is located in the Sutanahmet district, near the Topkapi Palace. It differs from other architectural samples of that era in that it is made of hewn stone. I must say that during its construction (6th century), wood was mainly used. Today, the palace houses a museum of Islamic-Turkish art.
Small palaces
I would like to advise everyone who came to this ancient city for the first time to visit excursions in Istanbul with a professional guide. You will receive unforgettable vivid impressions, learn a lot of interesting things from the history of the city. It is not so exciting to explore the sights of Istanbul on your own.
In addition to temporary and permanent Sultan residences, small palaces were preserved in Istanbul, which were intended for hunting and entertainment of their owners.
Ainaly Kavak (Mirror Poplar)
The building, located in the Kasympasha region, began to be built at the beginning of the 12th century, by order of Khalil Pasha. The palace is located on a hill, surrounded by an unusually beautiful garden. The huge hall was used for receptions. It is richly decorated, its main value is the Venetian mirrors. Today it is a museum. Many national musical instruments are exhibited here. Probably because the last sultan was a composer. Today, musical evenings are often held here.
Restored palaces
A huge number of luxurious palaces belonging to the Istanbul nobility, suffered from fires or were simply abandoned. Some of them were restored and became public buildings of modern Istanbul - hotels, restaurants, banquet halls, etc.
For example, the palace of Chiragan. It was almost completely destroyed in one of the fires, but thanks to the Kempinski firm, it was rebuilt. Currently, it houses one of the best hotels in the capital. As public buildings, the palaces of Adile Sultan, Saita Halima Pasha are used. Solemn meetings are held here. The mayor's office of the Kayytkhan district is located in the Atiye Sultan Palace.
Today we made a small online tour of the capital of Turkey. Now you know where the palace of the Sultan Suleiman in Istanbul is located, what other palaces you can see in this wonderful city.