(The Gate of Salutation)
Soon after conquered Constantinople from the Roman's Sultan Mehmed started rearranging his new possession. Topkapi palace started construction a few years after Constantinople fell around 1460ad. It was initially just known as the new palace. It became his residence, administrative head quarters and home to his harem of women.
The palace is located just behind the world famous Hogia Sophia monument. Going back to Greek times even before the Bezantines this area which is the highest point near the tip of the peninsula forming the old part of Istanbul, it was home to the acropolis of the ancient city of Bizantion. Some of the outer walls even date back to this time.
Because of its close proximity to so many UNSESCO world heritage monuments it is also part of that of old Istanbul. The world famous blue mosque is also just across the square from the main gates.
After walking through the first court yard we entered the first major structure you can see above with the Tower of Justice just above . This is the palace proper which is a maze of grand halls and rooms that all make up the imperial harem and the living quarters for the royal family.
The place was kind of dark making it a little difficult to take photos at the time. I was also experimenting with an ulta wide angle attachment to my kit lens which made auto focus impossible and made for a lot of blurry shots shooting in manual on the move. But the things that really caught my eye were the inlaid detail everywhere. Stain glass windows, tile mosaics and intricately decorated high ceilings.
Awesome pasterns and colors everywhere on centuries old tile that never seemed to have even faded.
This was some hallway in the harem. This is where women would shuttle back and forth either to the sultan or from social engagements and day to day life. Some of the palace was having on going reconstruction.
Once again breath taking domes and high ceilings. Hundreds of chambers each out does the previous. Diffrent styles and level of grandeur. For instance this one is in all white. While others are a splash of colors and tiles.
On the interior of the palace we have now got close to the base of the Tower of Justice.
There were a number of fountains built into the walls of the Harem. Some of the quite famous in their time. The tiles mosaics are everywhere and in different colors and styles. Remember that the Ottoman empire lasted for hundreds of years and each Sultan had to add his bit and style to the whole thing.
One of the dark rooms of the harem. I suppose this couch would have lots of beautiful women lounged over it.
More amazing ceiling and doom work. Different styles, different histories, different stories.
This door was spactacularly inlaid with metal and mother of pearl. They just dont make them like they used to I tell you.
Almost every room had a spectacular fire place that reaches from floor to ceiling in a particular style. The palace is on a hill between the Marmara Sea and the Bosphorus making for a bone chilling breeze of the water at times.
Another amazing dome with plety of gold leaf.
Another color filled room in the harem of the palace. Lots of gold and blues.
This is the imperial court with the throne for the sultan. This room is very grandly decorated.
Fountain in the imperial court.
A sofa for the queen or other dignitaries I am sure.
This room is another tiled room inside the harem.
The stain glass almost looks like part of the tiel work on this low light rainy day.
Some more views of the detailed tile work.
This room had many cut outs in the wall like this. This is where the imperial treasury worked and they used this to hold financial records, contracts and deads.
Favorites square gives amazing views out over the Bosphorus. The rooms surrounding this area were the apartments of his favorite consorts.
You can see accross the water to the galata tower.
Another outside view of he palace. It kind of terraces all the way down the hill to the water side.
I view of Galata and the entry to the Golden Horn.
This is one of the stylish mosques on the grounds.
İftar Kiosk is up on the northern terrace and offers great views of the Golden Horn. It is great to take photos here around the pool even on this rainy day.
Another View of the outside of the Iftar Kiosk and the interior.
The view of the golden horn again.
A look back over the palace structure from the far end of that norther terrace overlooking the garedens.
A look over the souther end of the grounds some of the newer building are done in a very european style like this one.
This is where the Mahrmar sea as it enters the straight of Bosphorus.
The audience pavilion is to the left and the great library in the middle. Behind is the musuem rooms are to my back and the national treasures. Some of the interesting things there are a very large diamond, a dagger and the staff of Moses.
There is a lot of art and miniatures on display also.
Thanks for visiting another great attraction with me today.