Topkapi Palace Proper (Istanbul part 6 of 7)

Last time, Topkapi Palace Harem got the spotlight. Now for the rest of the palace, or at least what was open when I was there. I don't know if they're renovating large parts of it or what, but big chunks were closed to the public that day, including the outer Imperial Treasury (there's another one in an inner courtyard that was open), which is supposed to have a neat collection of arms and armor. If you haven't read the previous entry, read it first because I put some general intro info on the palace proper there. Now, (because I've been watching too much Doctor Who) as the Doctor would say, Allons-y!

After passing through the first court and purchasing your tickets to enter, you emerge in the second court.

It is around this court yard that the chambers associated with the Divan, the Council of State, were located. The court itself is full of flowers and ancient cypress trees, and when Topkapi itself was still in use as a palace, would have been home to (according to my guidebook), peacocks, gazelles, and fountains supplied with running water from Yerebatan Sarnici, that cistern I wrote about awhile back. The Divan chambers themselves are located off the court, along with the entrance to the Harem and the kitchens that supplied food for the Divan.

The Divan building was where the council met to decide matters of state, as well as to listen to petitioners, who would congregate on the court while waiting their turn to speak. You can also take one of 2 daily tours up the Divan Tower, which is supposed to have awesome views of the Bosphorus. It was closed when I was there- check at the ticket gate for times & availability.

The Babussaade, or the Gate of Felicity serves as the entrance to the third court, where the buildings of the palace school were located. After passing through the gate, you immediately come upon the throne room, which is actually more like the throne building.

The throne room or Audience Chamber as it is sometimes referred to, sits immediately behind the gate in order to block views into the third courtyard, which was strictly guarded so that only the chosen few could enter. This is where the sultan would wait to receive decisions made by the Divan and either approve or disapprove of them, and where he would meet with foreign dignitaries, etc. The doorway on the opposite side of the building looks out over the gardens and fountains of the rest of the courtyard.

Not a bad place to relax and stop to smell the flowers.

Beyond the Throne Room in the center of the court is the Ahmet III Library, where students at the palace school could study and read the extensive collection of theological and legal texts.

And like every other building in Istanbul from this time period, the interior is adorned with those blue and white Iznik tiles. In case you're wondering, the bookshelves are empty because the manuscripts are now housed in a separate building.

Along the sides of the third courtyard are buildings containing the (inner) Imperial Treasury rooms, with all kinds of really cool stuff to see, ranging from jewelry, to swords, to medals, thrones, relics, Muhammad's beard (three pieces if I recall correctly), turban ornaments, etc etc etc. This is the area where crowds can become problematic and queues can form during the afternoon. But well worth seeing, but alas no photography inside. But! About halfway through the treasury rooms, you emerge in an open courtyard with really nice views of the Bosphorus.

Not that really nice views of the Bosphorus are hard to come by at Topkapi. Hello, Asia! Ok, moving on. After checking out all the pretties, you can proceed to the fourth courtyard, which was limited to the royal family and their attendants. The fourth courtyard is lots of pavilions and gardens and gorgeous views out over the water.

See? This little viewing platform is adjacent to the Mecidiye Kosku, which now operates as the Konyali Cafe, serving food both indoors and at outside tables- but views like this come with a price. Take the street value and multiply it by 3-4 and that's about what they charge. Short on Turkish Liras? They'll be happy to take the equivalent value in Euros or USD.

Here's the Mecidiye Kosku itself, the last building erected at Topkapi. Keep going straight and down a flight of stairs for the garden terrace.

The fourth courtyard is home to a number of fountains, a tulip garden, and all kinds of pavilions, many of which are under going renovation work so they're all spiffy for Istanbul's tenure as European Capital of Culture 2010. What, we're already halfway through 2010? Whoops. But I'm sure they'll be lovely once they are reopened.

I still kind of wonder if there is some kind of giant conspiracy that everywhere I go, big tourist attractions are undergoing conservation/renovation work. Either that, or EVERYTHING in the world started falling apart around 2005 and work has continued since then. But I digress.

The exterior of the Circumcision Pavilion is covered with Iznik tiles of various designs, and are supposed to include some of the very best of these 16th-17th century tiles. Beyond the Circumcision Pavilion is a terrace looks out over the Golden Horn to the other side of European Istanbul. Incidentally, this terrace is also where Ibrahim I, one of those sultans that emerged from the Cage quite insane, held all kinds of... interesting parties. We'll leave it at that.

And at the end of the terrace is the Baghdad Pavilion.

And a girl who walked right into my picture. But oh well. The pavilion was built to celebrate the conquest of Baghdad in 1638.

The interior is all kind of fancy, with inlaid precious stones and tortoise shell. Whew.

THE END!