Second Court . It was an ‘education center’ and a ‘service temple’. The marvelous pavilions where the royal family would rest, such as the Baghdad Kösk, the Terrace Kösk and the Grand Kösk. This place being the Sultan’s private space; it was not allowed to reveal what was happening inside. The room is nicely decorated with some furniture. I was feeling ambitious on Istanbul Day 5. The Ottoman Imperial Treasury was legendary in the past, and today its remarkable collections of thousands of rare and beautiful objects continue to dazzle visitors to Topkapi Palace. This is where the sultan received the Grand Vizier, council members and high-ranking officials to ratify their resolutions. The museum in Topkapi Palace is where they keep religious artifacts. Although it was very busy when we were there, there were sections of the palace that were quieter than others and the only line up we experienced was 20 minutes for the Treasury. Turkish. The palace is also a holy spot for Muslims containing relics of Muhammad and other prophets — some of whom are revered in both the Bible and the Koran. Topkapi Palace, Istanbul. The Harem, literally meaning "forbidden" in Arabic, was a complex of apartments in the palace belonging to the wives, concubines and children of the sultan, guarded by the black eunuchs. Today, we celebrate the baptism of Jesus Christ as Epiphany on the sixth of January. (located on the left-hand side of the courtyard) 4.  | Saint John the Baptist baptized Jesus, along with many others, in the River Jordan. The Topkapi Palace is the biggest and one of the most popular sites to visit in Istanbul. Please agree to all the terms and conditions before proceeding to the next step, Best Day and Multiday Trips to visit Topkapi Palace, The carriages on display are some of the sultan’s carriages, including the state carriage and the carriage of the, This is where the state affairs were discussed and the business of running the empire was carried out. However, it seems that part of the right hand of St. John offered by Sultan Baizid the II to the Order of Hospitallers, returned to the Ottoman Turks in the late sixteenth century. ... Topkapi Dagger, huge emeralds, several thrones, big candle sticks made of pure gold, and relics of St. John the Baptist. You may see Prophet Moses’ staff, Prophet David’s sword, hand of John the Baptist, mantle of Prophet Muhammad in the Sacred Relics room. Spanish For us, we were interested in seeing the artifacts and the living quarters. Celadon from China is an important item in the kitchen because there was a belief that if the food was poisoned to assassinate the Sultan, the porcelain would change the color. The Baghdad Kiosk in the Fourth Courtyard was built to commemorate the 1638 Baghdad Campaign of Sultan Murad IV (1612-1640). There is also a Turkish bath. Once they moved to Topkapi palace, the old one was called as "Old Palace" and Topkapi as the "New Palace". Click here for high resolution photo gallery of the Topkapi Palace. Of course, the most important one is “Sugar Candy”. The Topkapi Palace is in the Sultanahmet neighborhood near Eminonu in the Old City area, and is open daily between 09:00 – 17:00 except on Tuesdays. The Topkapi Palace which was the Imperial Palace of the Ottoman reign during the period from the 15th century to the 19th century, was originally commissioned for construction by Mehmet the Conqueror soon after the Ottomans conquered Turkey in 1453. Privacy Policy My son & I were there in July 09 & I was enthralled by the Holy Relics ..wish I could have taken pictures of them. Across the courtyard, to the left, there is the Divan, or Council Chamber, where the viziers and grand vizier gathered to talk about daily issues or to receive foreign visitors. Upon entering the Third Courtyard, you’re immediately confronted with the Audience Chamber (. The second gate has two guard towers and is called "Gate of Salutation", because everybody had to salute the sultan before going through. In the collection, up to 730 Japanese porcelains can be found ranging from 17th to 19th centuries. | Destinations | Get a Quote | Blog | Contact Us |. in front of it during special ceremonies. Pass through the Imperial Gate into the First Court, which is known as the Court of the Janissaries or the Parade Court. Phone: +90 212 5120480 The location of the Palace is just behind the Hagia Sophia in the historical city center of Istanbul. Moreover, there was an outer pantry for registration of foods before carrying the imperial pantry. John the Baptist : biography c. 6 BC – c. 30 AD The saint’s right hand, with which he baptised Jesus, is claimed to be in the Serbian Orthodox Cetinje monastery in Montenegro; Topkapi Palace in Istanbul; and also in the Romanian skete of the Forerunner on Mount Athos. St. John baptist’s arm was brought to Constantinople at the time of Constantine VII. This is valid as much for things in our proximity, as for mysteries hidden in the depths of history. Topkapi Palace was the residence of Ottoman Sultans for 400 years. Topkapi Palace Istanbul It is the biggest museum in Istanbul. It now houses the Konyalı restaurant, famous for its magnificent terrace. Here, the word ‘harem’ also referred to the physical space in which he and his family members lived. This is where the sultan received the Grand Vizier, council members and high-ranking officials to ratify their resolutions. Topkapi Palace, Treasury, The Arm of St. John the Baptist The Kasikci (Spoonmaker’s) Diamond : The Spoonmaker’s diamond is 86 carats and one of the biggest in the world. Topkapi Palace’s Harem was the private haven of the Ottoman Sultan and his extended family at Topkapi Palace. Hence, it became the subject on which the greatest variety of rumor was being produced, in the past as in the present. English Former dormitories of the Expeditionary Forces, now housing the Imperial Wardrobe Collection (Padişah Elbiseleri). (c) 2016 ESKAPAS LLC | REG A2606 | USA +1 202 960 7750 |, Trans-Anatolian Express | 9 Days with train-plane-bus, Best of Turkey and Greece with 2 days cruise. The relics are housed in the former private chambers of the sultan, the Privy Chambers, which are located in the Third Courtyard of the palace. The fourth courtyard of Topkapi Palace, Mecidiye Pavillion; Wooden Sofa Pavillion; Includes Baghdat, Revan and Summer Pavillions. You reach the palace by walking alongside the Hagia Sophia, past the ornate fountain of Ahmet III towards the Imperial Gate, which is the entrance to the first courtyard. Topkapi Palace continued to be the residence of the Ottoman sultans for about 350 years, until the early 1850s. The palace having around 700,000 m2 of area during the foundation years, it currently has only 80,000 m2 of area because of building constructions in its grounds towards the end. But now, let us set aside fantasies and look at the facts of the harem… Read more about Ottoman Harem Article, (c) 2016 ESKAPAS LLC | REG A2606 | USA +1 202 960 7750 |  There was the treasury of the Divan next door, which is an exhibition of weapons of that time today, and the Tower of the Justice above it was used for the surveillance of the harbor. Its architecture is predominantly Middle Eastern in character. The third gate is called "Gate of Felicity" because the sultan and his court celebrated important events here, sitting on his throne; when the sultan was happy everybody was happy. So, you can see steelyards, storage vessels, sherbet jars in this pantry. At first, the Harem was left in the Old Palace and was moved to its present From this gate, only the sultan and people working in the palace could pass, it wasn't for the public access. The arm of John the Baptist. Let your self experience a great city where the Continents meet. The saint’s left hand is allegedly […] Just below the Mecidiye kiosk, there is a self service cafeteria and a restaurant today. It was stored in the Emperor’s chapel in the 12th century and then was transferred to the Church of the Virgin Mary; it was moved again to the Church of Peribleptos in the first half of the 15th century. Home; Books; Search; Support. During the 400 hundred years of reign at Topkapi, each sultan added a different section or hall to the palace, depending on his taste or on the needs of the time. John the Baptist, right, as depicted in this 14th century painting at the National Gallery, London Archaeologists in Bulgaria claim they have found remains of John the Baptist while excavating the site of a 5th century monastery on the Black Sea island of Sveti Ivan.