Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace constructed by Fatih Sultan Mehmet, (the Conqueror of Istanbul) in 1478 has been the official residence of the Otoman Sultans and center of State Administration around 380 years until the construction of Dolmabahce Palace(in Besiktas) by Sultan Abdulmecid. The palace having around 700.000 m2 area during the foundation years has currently 80.000 m2 area.It is located in Sultanahmet.It is overlooking Marmara Sea and Bosphorus.The main entrance Bab-i Humayun is situated next to Hagia Sophia,in Hippodrome.

Topkapi Palace was evacuated by the accommodation of the Palace inhabitants in Dolmabahce, Yildiz and in other palaces. Upon abandoning by the Sultans, Topkapi Palace where many officials resided had also never lost its importance. The palace was repaired from time to time. A special attention was taken for the annual maintenance of Mukaddes Emanetler Dairesi (Sacred Safekeeping Rooms) visited by the sultan and his family during Ramadan.

The opening of Topkapi Palace for visits as museum happened firstly in the reign of Sultan Abdulmecid (1839-1861). The belongings within Topkapi Palace Treasury was shown to the contemporary English ambassador. Later on, it has become a tradition to show the antics within the Topkapi Palace Treasury to the foreigners and during the era of Sultan Abdulaziz (1861-1876), showrooms are made in French style, and these antics are started to be shown to foreigners in these showrooms within Treasury. During the period when Sultan II Abdulhamid was dethroned (1876-1909), it was thought to open the Treasury Room to public visits on Sundays and Tuesdays, yet it never realized.

By the order of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Topkapi Palace firstly affiliated to the Istanbul Asar-i Atika Museums Directorate and opened to public visits on date of April 3, 1924, then it started to service as Treasury Chamberlain, after it was renamed as Treasury Directorate and finally it was renamed as Topkapi Palace Museum Directorate and it still continues its services.

Upon the performance of small repairs and taking some administrative cautions in 1924, Topkapi Palace was opened to service as a Museum on October 9, 1924. The sections opened to visit at that time were Kubbealti, Arz Odasi, Mecidiye Kosku (Pavilion Mecidiye), Hekimbasi Odasi (Room of Chief Doctor), Mustafa Pasa Kosku (Pavilion Mustafa Pasha) ve Bagdad Kosku'dur (Pavilion Baghdad).Source: http://www.topkapisarayi.gov.tr