Topkapi Palace museum in Istanbul
Topkapi Palace in Istanbul is one of the most important museum in Turkey that attracts a large number of tourists. The Topkapi palace is located in the Fatih area. Its great designs speak of the history of Turkey, the stories of the Ottomans, and ancient battles. The museum includes archaeological pieces coming from Turkey, China, Japan, and some from the “Kaaba”. Learn about the history of Topkapi Palace and the ruins you can see inside it, and the nearby tourist sites.
Location of Topkapi Palace museum in Istanbul:
Topkapi Palace is located in the Fatih area with an amazing view of the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, near to Hagia Sophia Mosque and the Grand Bazaar. Topkapi Palace museum is located near from Beyazit Square and the Sea of Marmara, you can reach it easily from all areas of Istanbul within a short time. Address: Cankurtaran, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Phone: +902125120480.
History of Topkapi Palace museum in Istanbul:
Topkapi Palace is the House of most of the Ottoman sultans, starting with Sultan Mehmed AL-Fatih who has built the palace in the fifteenth century and made it the seat of government. The palace has private rooms for sultans, and large halls for meetings, in addition to a school for teaching weapon use, arts, and war strategy. Topkapi Palace was transformed into a beautiful museum in 1924, considered one of the most beautiful museums in Istanbul you can visit in Turkey. The Topkapi Museum features paintings that describe the political, economic and social history of Turkey through the ages, as well as great decorations and sculptures.
Sections of Topkapi Palace museum in Istanbul:
Topkapi Palace has several parts, rooms, and gardens visited by tourists in the palace. There are two entrances to Topkapi Palace, the main entrance is located near Hagia Sophia Mosque, and the second entrance is located at the back side of the palace in Istanbul. Upon entering directly from the main entrance, you will reach the outer courtyard that was used for celebrations during the Ottoman era. Divan Square or the second courtyard is one of the most important parts of the palace. The square is the administrative part with a hall for ministers and a meeting hall. After the square, you will reach the rooms where 22 Ottoman sultans resided. One of the special sections of Topkapi Palace museum in Istanbul is the “Harem” section for the Sultan's wives. Topkapi Museum also includes beautiful gardensو Sultan Ahmed III's library and Sultan Ahmed III's fountain. The library was established by Sultan “Ahmed III” in the eighteenth century and contains special ancient books. The fountain is located at the main entrance of Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul near Hagia Sophia Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmed III in 1728 AD. Among the historical rooms in Topkapi Palace is the Sacred Relics section which includes Islamic ruins such as a mantle of Prophet Muhammad some of his hair.
Archaeological Pieces at Topkapi Palace Museum:
In Topkapi Museum in Istanbul, you will find a huge number of ruins that visited by visitors and artists from around the world. You will find many halls and rooms that were used for sultan residence, meetings, and celebrations. Also you will see large rooms that include ruins such as luxurious carpets, ancient paintings, glassware, porcelain, and precious jewelry. Topkapi Palace museum in Istanbul also has a massive library established by Sultan Ahmed III containing a collection of ancient books. Those Books describe daily life of sultans and important events happened in the Ottoman Empire. The museum has over 50,000 pieces of weapons not only from the Ottoman era but also from the Abbasid and Umayyad era. After visiting the palace rooms, you can enjoy an amazing tour in the beautiful gardens of Topkapi Palace that reflect the beauty of nature with a great view of the Bosphorus Strait.
Tourist sites near Topkapi Palace museum:
Due to the unique location of Topkapi Palace in the Fatih area, it is nearby to some of the most famous tourist sites in Turkey, including:
Hagia Sophia Mosque:
Hagia Sophia Mosque is one of the most beautiful museums in Istanbul, located in the Fatih area just a few meters away from Topkapi Palace museum. The mosque was built during the Roman era and was a church at first, and in the start of ottoman era, it was converted into a mosque for Muslims. In 1942, Ataturk converted Hagia Sophia Mosque into a museum, opening up a wide space for visitors to see beautiful ruins. Then, in 2020, the Turkish government declared the conversion of Hagia Sophia Museum into a mosque for Muslims. Address: Sultan Ahmet, Ayasofya Meydanı No:1, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Phone: +902125221750.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque near Topkapi Palace museum:
Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque, is one of the oldest sites in Turkey. It was built at the beginning of the seventeenth century by order of Sultan “Ahmed III”, who employed the best engineers to build the mosque, including the architect "Mehmed Aga" who trained under the engineer "Sinan”. This resulted in an architectural site with a high dome surrounded by six minarets, three on each side. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is located one kilometer away from Topkapi Palace museum and Hagia Sophia Mosque. The Sultan decorated the interior design of the mosque with over 21,000 pieces of ceramics that gave the mosque its white and blue color. Address: Binbirdirek, At Meydanı Cd No:10, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Phone: +902125191248.
Grand Bazaar:
The Grand Bazaar is one of the most beautiful bazaars in Istanbul located in the Sultan Ahmed area nearby Topkapi Palace museum and Hagia Sophia Mosque. The Grand Bazaar was established by Sultan “Mehmed” in the fifteenth century and now has over 4,000 shops and 50 streets. In the Grand Bazaar you can see beautiful jewelry, textiles, clothing, handmade crafts, as well as many wares brought by traders from countries in Asia and Africa. Address: Beyazıt, 34126 Fatih/İstanbul, Phone: +902125191248.
Beyazit Mosque and Square near Topkapi Palace museum:
Beyazit Mosque is one of the oldest mosques built at the beginning of the sixteenth century by order of Sultan “Beyazit II” and designed by the engineer “Kheir al-Din”. The design of Beyazit Mosque looks like Hagia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul, with Islamic decorations and Quranic verses adorning its walls from the inside. The mosque is located in Beyazit Square just 13 minutes away from Topkapi Palace museum and Hagia Sophia Mosque. Beyazit Square feature special tourist areas such as the Covered Bazaar, Istanbul University, and Beyazit Mosque. Address: Beyazıt, Yeniçeriler Cd., 34126 Fatih/İstanbul.
Taksim Square near Topkapi Palace museum:
Taksim Square is located in the Beyoglu area in Istanbul less than half an hour away from Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia Mosque. The square features the Republic monument at a height of 11 meters where you can take beautiful photos. You can also visit the Wax Museum in Taksim Square, Taksim Mosque, the Cultural buildings and Flower rout. Topkapi Palace museum is one of the most important tourist sites we recommend visiting in Istanbul. see the grandeur of the palace's construction and the ruins treasures in its rooms, take a tour of the Sultan's chambers, harem, and beautiful palace gardens, and enjoy the amazing views of the Bosphorus Strait.
