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TOPKAPI
PALACE
One of the most astounding and popular places to visit in Istanbul
is Topkapi Palace, the symbolic and political centre of the Ottoman
Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries. It stands on the tip of
land where the Golden Horn, the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus come
together, and is a maze of buildings centered around a series of courtyards,
typical of Islamic tradition. Such is the complexity of each building,
it will take many hours in order to be explored properly.
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It was built between 1466 and 1478,
a couple of years before the death of Fatih. Unlike any European Palace,
its architecture is predominantly Middle Eastern in character. The
initial construction was Cinili Mansion, a Glass Palace finished in
1472, and the imposing main gate facing Sultanahmet, Bab-I Humayun,
and the Palace ramparts, were completed in 1478.
There were originally 750 residents
of the Palace, during Fatih’s period, which became drastically
more congested reaching 5000 during normal days and 10,000 during
festivals. Extensions had to be built, and the harem was completed
in 1595 during the third Sultan Murad’s era, after which the
harem residents were moved in from the palace at Beyazit, with a total
of 474 concubines. Special tours of the Harem are available. The Harem,
literally meaning “forbidden” in Arabic, was the suite of
apartments in the palace belonging to the wives, concubines and children
of the head of the household.
Around the Harem were the Circumcision
Room, the apartments of the Chief Black Eunuch, and apartments of
the sultan – in total over 400 rooms. Other highlights in the
Palace are the Spoonmaker’s Diamond (the fourth largest diamond
in the world), the Topkapi Dagger, (a gift from Mahmut I), a vast
collection of paintings and miniatures, and the Pavilion of the Holy
Mantle (including a footprint, a tooth and a hair of the Prophet Mohammed).
Opening hours: Daily 09.00 –
17.00, winter closed Tuesday. |
DOLMABAHÇE
PALACE
Built in the reign of Sultan I Abdulmecit during the 19th century,
this over-ornate palace lies along the European coast of the Bosphorus.
Dolmabahce Palace was constructed between 1843 and 1856, mixing different
European artistic influences and built by Abdulmecit’s architect,
Karabet Balya. It was built over three levels, and symmetrically planned,
with 285 chambers and 43 halls. It has a 600m long pier along the
river, with two huge monumental gates. The palace is surrounded by
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immaculate gardens, with an immense
56-columned greeting hall, with 750 lights illuminated from 4.5 tonnes
of crystal chandelier. The entrance was used for meeting and greeting
Sultans, and opposite the ceremonial hall was the harem. The interior
decoration, furniture, silk carpets and curtains all remain with little
defect.
The palace has a level of luxury
not present in most other palaces, with walls and ceilings decorated
with gold, and European art from the period. Top quality silk and
wool carpets, southeast Asian hand-made artifacts, and crystal candlesticks
adorn every room. The men’s hamam (public bath) is adorned with
alabaster marble, and the harem also contains the Sultan’s bedrooms
and the women and servants’ divisions. One of the highlights
is the throne room, which stands at an amazing 36-metres high –
almost twice the height of the rest of the rooms. The east wing is
home to the Museum of Fine Arts.
Opening hours: Daily 09.00 –
16.00, except Monday and Thursday. |
ÇIRAGAN
PALACE
The most picturesque spots along the Bosphorus and Golden Horn were
reserved for the palaces and mansions for the Sultans, and other important
dignitaries, most of which have now gone. The huge palace was constructed
by architect Serkis Balyan in 1871, as appointed by Sultan Abdul Aziz,
from the ruins of the old palace.
The interior was rebuilt, at
a cost of four million gold coins, beginning with covering the ceiling
with wood and the walls with marble. The rooms were decorated with
rare carpets, furniture, gold and silver. |
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The sides of the building were decorated
with coloured marble, and monumental gates connected it to Yildiz
Palace, via a bridge, which is how the harem women went between
the two, in total privacy
It briefly housed the Turkish Parliament from 1908, but was destroyed
by a fire two years later, and was only rebuilt in 1991. Now, it
is Istanbul’s premier luxury hotel, and has retained something
of its former glory.
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BEYLERBEYI PALACE
Beylerbeyi, in which the Asian Tower of Bosphorus Bridge was
constructed, is a beautiful district allotted for palaces since
the Byzantium era. Sultan Abdulaziz built the Palace, to replace
the older, wooden palace, between 1861 and 1865. Eastern and
Turkish motifs are used with Western design elements, on the
sides and for internal decoration, and the atmosphere is something
resembling that of Dolmabahce Palace.
The building comprises
of three floors, and contains 26 rooms and six halls, which
includes the harem and men's greeting rooms. The interior is
decorated with Bohemian chandeliers, valuable tiles and ceramic
vases. Silver-edged furniture and luxurious carpets add something
to the beauty, and even till today the authentic furniture,
carpets, curtains and other property have been well preserved.
A huge pool, terraces and
stables, face the back cliff. A road and tunnel, used until
1970, passed under the palace garden and were used by the most
distinguished foreign dignitaries when visiting the palace.
Open daily except Monday
and Thursday. |
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YILDIZ PALACE
This vast park consists of mansions, gardens and lakes, the whole
area surrounded by high walls, and all set in a superb hillside location.
Popular at weekends and holidays with locals, it offers one of the
few green areas within the city centre, and is a great place for walking,
relaxing and eating. There is a steep walk up the hill from Ciragan
Caddesi up to the first pavilion, but rewards are cooling breezes
and sweeping views of the Bosphorus.
It was the centre of the Ottoman
Empire for 30 years, during the reign of Abdulhamid II, and the second
largest palace in Istanbul. Its main structure, Yildiz Palace, was
built in the old Ottoman style and the pavilions which are dotted
around the park were transformed into a power base. The most important
remaining building is Sale Koske, where receptions were held, and
is the largest and most ornate and reveals the luxury in which the
sultans lived and entertained. The first section was modelled on a
Swiss Chalet, the second two completed in the late 19th century.
Some of the mansions are undergoing
restoration, but Sale is open for visitors, and two have terraces
serving food and drinks. Further along the path is a State museum,
the Belediye Sehir Muzesi, and Yildiz Sarayi Theatre.
Park: Open daily 09.00 –
17.30
Sale Kosku: Open daily 09.30
– 17.00, except Monday and Thursday.
Museum: Open daily 09.00 –
16.30, except Monday. |
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Kesit
Tourism and Travel Agency
Caglayan Mah. 2007 Sok. No: 7 TR-07230 Antalya /
Turkey
Tel: + 90 - 242 - 323 90 09 - Fax: +90-242 - 323 96
66
E-mail :
info@kesit.com
Licence Nr : 3528
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