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Topkapi

Topkapı Palace, also known as the Palace of the Sultans, is a large palace complex in Istanbul, Turkey, located at the tip of the Sarayburnu promontory overlooking the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. It served as the primary residence and administrative center of the Ottoman sultans for nearly four centuries.

Construction began in 1459 under Mehmed II after the reconquest of Constantinople, and the complex gradually

The site covers about 700,000 square meters and includes the Haram (Harem), the Divan Grand Council, the

Today the complex operates as the Topkapı Palace Museum. Its collections feature the Imperial Treasury with

Topkapı Palace is a central component of the Historic Areas of Istanbul, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The term Topkapi also refers to a 1964 heist film directed by Jules Dassin, which is unrelated

expanded
to
accommodate
imperial
offices,
a
treasury,
a
library,
and
residential
quarters.
The
court,
the
harem,
and
ceremonial
functions
were
housed
within
its
four
main
courtyards
and
numerous
buildings.
The
palace
remained
the
seat
of
power
until
the
19th
century,
with
some
functions
moving
to
Dolmabahçe
Palace
in
the
1840s
and
1850s.
Imperial
Treasury
(Hazine-i
Hassa),
kitchens,
pavilions,
mosques,
and
courtyards.
The
architecture
blends
late
Byzantine
influences
with
Ottoman
architectural
innovations,
reflecting
the
palace
as
a
center
of
political
and
ceremonial
life.
items
such
as
the
Spoonmaker’s
Diamond,
an
Emerald
Cup,
a
substantial
armory,
and
Ottoman
porcelain
and
manuscripts.
The
Sacred
Relics
of
the
Prophet
Muhammad
are
displayed
in
a
dedicated
room,
alongside
various
ceremonial
objects
and
gifts
to
the
sultans.
inscribed
in
1985,
and
remains
one
of
Turkey’s
most
visited
museums.
The
name
Topkapı
means
“Cannon
Gate,”
named
for
the
gate
where
cannons
were
displayed
in
the
early
years.
to
the
palace.