Overview
Topkapi Palace occupies the promontory of Sarayburnu (Seraglio Point) at the meeting of the Golden Horn, Bosphorus, and Sea of Marmara in Istanbul, Turkey. Mehmed II ordered construction soon after the 1453 conquest of Constantinople; successive sultans expanded the complex through the 16th-century golden age of Süleyman the Magnificent and the architects Sinan served. The palace functioned as the administrative and residential centre of the Ottoman Empire until the mid-19th century, when Dolmabahçe Palace became the primary residence.
Four courtyards progress from public diwan ceremonies to the sultan's private apartments and the Imperial Harem — a governed institution of the dynasty, not merely a "harem" in Western fantasy. The Treasury displays the Topkapi Dagger and Spoonmaker's Diamond; the Sacred Relics room holds objects venerated as belonging to the Prophet Muhammad. Tile revetment, vaulted chambers, and marble fountains exemplify classical Ottoman court style.
The Republic of Turkey converted the palace to a museum in 1924. It remains among the most visited museums in the world and complements Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul's historic peninsula UNESCO zone.
