Topkapi Palace Tickets

The Topkapi Palace Istanbul was the imperial residence of the Ottomans and also served as their administrative and financial centre. A symbol of the wealth and might of the Ottoman Sultans, the Topkapi Palace has four lavish courtyards adorned with ornate designs, inscriptions, and three sets of decorated structures. The Palace has army barracks, stables, halls, kitchens, mosques, gardens, leisure structures, ornate gates, and a Harem. It was the pride of the Ottomans for centuries and currently functions as a museum and a library.

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Topkapi Palace tickets take you to the largest of all courtyards inside Topkapi Palace, the First Courtyard, which was also renowned as the Parade Court or the Court of the Janissaries. Surrounded by massive walls, the courtyard served as a park or an outer precinct, where many of the original structures do not exist anymore. The Hagia Irene, which is Istanbul’s only pre-Ottoman era church, is located here. Other important structures include the Imperial Mint, the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, the Fountain of the Executioner where the executioner is said to have washed hands after an execution. Witness the crenellated Gate of Salutation, which takes you to the Second Courtyard, is embellished with two huge, pointed octagonal towers.

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The Second Courtyard, which lay beyond the First Courtyard’s Gate of Salutation, marked the beginning of the private world of the Ottoman royals, where entry was restricted to the unauthorised and the general public. Witness the park-like design of the ‘Diwan Square’ with your Topkapi Palace tickets, which houses many barracks, pavilions, audience chambers, kitchens, sleeping quarters, and kiosks constructed around a central open space. The major highlights of the courtyard today are the Palace kitchens and the Chinese porcelain collection, along with the Imperial Council, the Imperial Treasury, and the Arms Collection of Topkapi Palace Museum.

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The Topkapi Palace Harem was the private residential quarters of the Ottoman royal family. One of the most magnificent creations that you can witness with your Topkapi Palace tickets, the prominent structures here include the private apartments of the concubines and the Sultan’s consorts. This also includes Apartments of the Valide Sultan, Reception Room, Privy Chamber of Murat III, and the Twin Apartments of the Crown Prince. The Harem is the most gorgeous example of Topkapi Palace architecture, with its 300-plus adorned rooms bringing alive the glory of the Ottoman empire even today.

The Second Courtyard’s Gate of Felicity takes you to the Third Courtyard, which was the Ottoman Sultan’s residence. The courtyard was designed as the centre of Palace life, although Sultans in later periods shifted inward to the Fourth Courtyard. Some of the best-designed structures flaunting Topkapi Palace architecture surround the lush garden. Your Topkapi Palace tickets let you explore the Privy Chamber, Audience Chamber, Imperial Treasury, Enderun Library of the Topkapi Palace Museum, Mosque of the Agas, and the Dormitory of the Royal Pages. The courtyard also houses the Miniature and Portrait Gallery of the Topkapi Palace Museum.

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Among the oldest structures inside Topkapi Palace is the Imperial Treasury, also known as the Conqueror’s Pavilion. The structure, which is included in your Topkapi Palace tickets, has two floors constructed on a terrace above the garden. The upper floor has four chambers while the lower floor has service rooms, all of which open onto the Third Courtyard. The Topkapi Palace Museum Treasury houses an impressive collection of heirlooms, artworks, and jewellery belonging to the Ottoman Sultans. Some iconic pieces include Sultan Mustafa III armour, Murad IV’s ebony throne, Topkapi Dagger, Ahmed I’s walnut throne, Spoonmaker’s Diamond, and Sultan Mahmud I’s throne.

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Walking through the Third Courtyard takes you to the innermost residential quarters of the royal family. The Fourth Courtyard, also referred to as the Sofa-i-Humayun, houses the Palace’s pleasure pavilions, and has many kiosks, terraces and gardens. Originally a part of the Third Courtyard, it has been given a separate standing to distinguish it better. The Fourth Courtyard houses some of the most stunning examples of Ottoman architecture that is adorned by many designers. Explore the Circumcision Room, Yerevan Kiosk, Baghdad Kiosk, Iftar Kiosk, Terrace Kiosk, and the Tower of the Head Tutor with your Topkapi Palace tickets.

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It was in the mid-fifteenth century, after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople, that Sultan Mehmed II commissioned the construction of an imperial palace. Sultan Mehmed II commissioned the construction of an imperial palace that was a testament to the wealth and might of the Ottoman empire, and thus began the story of the Topkapi Palace. Later Sultans, like Suleyman the Magnificent, added to the royal palace and by the end of the sixteenth century, the palace gained its present-day appearance. It was in 1856 that the Sultans shifted their base to Dolmabahce Palace. The Palace currently serves as a museum and library in the Turkish capital city.

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The palace complex, which you can explore with Topkapi Palace tickets, consists of four lavish courtyards adorned with ornate designs, inscriptions, and three sets of decorated structures. The first courtyard does not have much architectural significance, but the second courtyard, which houses army barracks, stables, halls, and kitchens, served as the administrative base inside Topkapi Palace. The third courtyard is the most architecturally endowed portion of the Topkapi Palace. Serving as the Royal residence, the structures here include the Throne Room, Palace school, mosque, and the intricately-designed Harem. The fourth courtyard had structures that had leisure purposes, like the dominant Tulip Garden and the Circumcision Room.

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A living testament to Istanbul’s tumultuous past as the capital city of three great empires is the Hagia Sophia. It is important to art and history due to its unique past. Constructed as a cathedral by the Byzantine emperor Justinian, the Hagia Sophia had been the world’s largest cathedral for a millennium. It was later converted into Istanbul’s first imperial mosque by the Ottomans. In 1934, modern Turkey declared the Hagia Sophia museum, but recently it was again converted into a mosque, carrying on its purpose as a place of worship for centuries now.

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The Blue Mosque, the magnificent centrepiece among Ottoman architectural marvels, is a living testament to centuries-old Islamic architectural traditions. Constructed to rival and even surpass the legendary Hagia Sophia, the seventeenth-century Blue Mosque is a testimony of Istanbul’s syncretic history. It is an unmatched amalgamation of traditional Ottoman Islamic art and architecture and ancient Byzantine traditions inspired by the Hagia Sophia and was the last great mosque of the classical period. The blue interiors, which give the mosque its name, come from the more than 20,000 handcrafted blue Iznik tiles that adorn the walls of the iconic mosque.

Bosphorus Cruises are an enchanting way to explore the mesmerising beauty of the Turkish capital city. Relax and unwind from your luxurious vantage point as you witness the past meeting the present in Turkey. The ancient monuments stand tall amidst the new-age structures as a testament to the centuries-old history of the region. Witness the iconic landmarks along the Bosphorus, like the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Galata Tower, Anatolian Fortress, Rumeli Fortress, Ortakoy Mosque, and many more. Indulge in sumptuous traditional Turkish meals and beverages as your guide narrates the stories of this fascinating land.