During my first day in Istanbul, the last stop in Sultanahmet was the Topkapi Sarayi or Topkapi Palace, a place you could easily spend a whole day exploring without even having seen the half of it.

Topkapi Sarayi is in fact a city in miniature. Probably one of the best examples of Ottoman architecture, it was built by the order of Mehmed the Conqueror short after his army took Constantinople on 29 May 1453.

You can imagine the importance when you take in consideration that during the Empire's best moment, Topkapi Palace was home to as much as 4,000 people!

With mosques, hospitals and even bakeries, Topkapi Sarayi was the official residence of the Ottoman Sultans for more than 400 years until the year 1853, when Sultan Abdulmecit transferred the administrative center of the Empire to the modern Dolmabahçe Palace, on the European coastline of the Bosphorus in the Beşiktaş district of Istanbul.

Topkapi Palace is located on a hill with magnificent views of the Marmara Sea, the Bosphorus strait and the Golden Horn. It consists on a complex layout of buildings connected by courtyards and gardens.

The Gate of  Salutation, entrance to the second courtyard, from which the empire was ruled.

The Second Courtyard

The Bosphorus.

Upper terrace and fountain inside the Fourth Courtyard, which was a private sanctuary for the Sultan and his family, consisting of several kiosks, gardens and pavilions.

Part of the Fourth Courtyard.

I just can't get over these views of the Galata Tower on the European side of Istanbul.

The incredible details all over the palace caught my attention to the point I imagined how life was as a part of the Ottoman court.

Topkapi Palace also includes fine examples of Islamic calligraphy, Ottoman treasures and jewelry, robes, weapons and even holy relics of the Muslim World.

Now to my favorite part.

Far from being a space of total depravity and lust, the Harem was the part of the Palace where the Sultan's wives and concubines lived. Built by Suleiman the Magnificent, the Harem comprises a mosque, baths, a school and a pool, and it is said that more than a thousand women occupied its more than 400 private rooms.

Details of fountains inside the Harem. I absolutely adore Iznik tiles.

The Harem.

Loving the blue shades of Iznik tiles.

View of the Courtyard of the Favourites inside the Harem.

Looking outside this window of the Harem, I thought about how different must the view have been during the times these rooms were inhabited.

If your desire is to really see all of the palace, my advice is to dedicate an entire day to its exploration. If you just want to have an impression of Topkapi, a couple of hours should be enough.

I surely believe there's so much to see here and a visit to its hundreds of rooms and beautiful gardens is an obligatory stop if you're in Istanbul.

Astrid.


Keep reading! More of my first day in Istanbul coming up tomorrow!
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