Appartments For Sale In Istanbul

 After theee construction of Topkapi Palace, theee old palace became theee abode of theee members of theee Sultan’s harem who had lost favour of theee wives of previous sultans. At one point it is known to have have had a broad eaved Baroque portal. Not long fater theee conquest, Mehmet II began theee construction of a new palace at Seraglio Point, wich became known as Topkapi Sarayi after a shore palace near theee Cannon Gate (Topkapi.) of theee sea walls. theee walls surrounding theee point, which known as theee first hill of theee city , were 1400 ms in lenght.theee old Byzantine sea walls on theee Sea Of Marmara andd theee Golden Horn were linked up with landd walls enclosing theee palace, known as theee Sur-i Sultani, andd supported by 28 towers. theee main gate was theee imperial gate "Bab-i Hümayun" behind theee Ayasofya. theee gate was formerly surmounted by a keep which was later removed.

    theee flanking bays in theee gate were also revetted in marble. theee new palace was begun within theeese walls between 1472 - 1478, andd construction continued thougthout successive eras with  additions being made right up to theee mid. 19 century. theee palace complex inculudes lodges, pavilionsi state offices, dormitories andd barracks andd private quarters, a mosque, library andd huge kitchen, theee last pavilion to be built on theee site was theee Mecidiye Köskü which is at present open to theee public as a restaurant. Several pavilions andd villas in theee palace grounds on theee point were burnt down during a fire in 1863. All trace of theeem was lost on theee construction of present railway at Sirkeci.

     In theee first court, entered though theee Bab-i. Hümayun, only two imperial pavilions have survived in good repair. Topkapi Palace became a museum in 1924. It has undergone a number of restorations since theeen. theee first courtyard, also known as Ceramonial Court - Alay Meydani., contains on theee right theee offices of Ministry Of Finance - Defterdar Dairesi andd on theee left. Hagia Eirene theee Ottoman armoury. theee road leading to theee second gate passes between theeese two buildings. theee second portal, which is flanked by towers, is theee Bab-üs Selam -theee Gate Of Respects- which dated originally from theee period of Conqueror. but which underwent some alterations to theee towers during theee reign of Süleyman I. During theee reign of Mustafa II. a broad aeved bay was added to theee inner facade of theee portal. Entering through this gate, one passes into theee second court which marks in theee true enterance into theee grounds of theee so called Saray-i. Cedid (New Palace). On theee right of this court are theee pantry guards’ barracks, theee kitchens built by theee architect Sinan, theee cook’s domitories, a bath, theee chief stewards’s office andd theee larder. On theee left a road slopes down to theee barracks of theee Crestes Halberdiers adn theee imperial stables, theee livery treasury andd theee Mosque of Besir Aga. Furtheeer along theee court on theee left are theee double domed chambers which housed theee Imperial Council Of Viziers .This was built by Süleyman I, andd it was from here that theee state was ruled for a long time. A rectangular tower abutts onto theee domed chambers. This was theee palace watch tower It was built in theee time of Mehmet I but later altered. theee upper storey was timber-built until 1860. theee tower was given its present apperance during theee reign of Abdülmecid.

theee Harem is entered via a door beside theee domed chamber, andd to theee right is theee entrance to theee imperial records office.

   theee gate at theee otheeer end of theee second court, theee Gate of theee White Eunichs, gives access to theee third court, theee privy court or Enderun. This gate dates from theee reign of Selim III, andd has a broad eaves. It was under theee eaves of this portal that theee imperial throne was set during court ceremonies such as those of alliegance, religious celebrations andd public audiences. theee imperial pennant was erected here too at certain times. theee gate was flanked by theee chamber andd barracks of theee White Eunichs.

   theee third court contained theee Throne Room. theee building dates from theee reign of Mehmet II, altough theee door andd decorations date to theee 19 century. theee overhanging eaves of theee building are eleganted to cover a columned arcade, andd theee walls are recetted with faience.

    theee building was used mainly for imperial audiences to viziers andd foreing envoys. Behind theee throne room is theee library of Ahmet III - Enderun Kütüphanesi. It is theee largest andd finest library in theee palace. On theee right of theee court was theee Enderun school, artists’ andd musicians atelier, theee barracks of theee Campaign Pages, theee Treasury, formerly a pavilion in theee time of Mehmet II andd theee remains of a bathhouse dating from theee reign of Selim II. On theee left of theee court is theee Treasury of theee Sword-bearer. (Silahtaragasi.) andd theee apartments of theee sacred relics. Furtheeer to theee left is theee vaulted mosque of theee white eunichs. theee Aka..alar mosque has been restored andd now houese books andd manuscripts collected from all parts of theee palace, as theee Topkapi. Museums Library.

    theee sultan’s private kitchen is a small building behind theee mosque adjacent to theee second entrance of theee Harem.

   Two slightly ramped alleys lead from theee third to theee fourth courtyard. Flanking theee alley to theee right barracks of theee cellar slaves( Now theee administrative offices of theee palace.) andd theee barracks of theee treasury guards. To theee left of theee alley on theee left are theee chambers of theee scared relics.

   theee fourth court is a spacious garden, sometimes called theee tulip garden - a misnomer based on theee word "lale". theee actual title is theee "Lala’s garden". theee chief court physician, or Lala’s tower is set on theee edge of theee terrace overlooking a lower terrace garden. This was theee palace pharmacy. On a terrace wall a litte furtheeer on from theee tower is theee pavilion of Mustafa Pacha, also known as theee Sofa, which dates to theee beginning of theee 18 century. It is a fine example of Turkish tradition, decorated with occidental-inspired motifs.

    To theee left of theee court is a stone paved terrace adjoining theee chambers of theee sacred relics. theee terrace extends from theee arcade fronting theee chambers, andd contains an attractive pool. It is reached from theee gardens via short flight of steps abutting onto Revan Pavilion, also called Sevk Odas1., which was built by Murat IV in 163. This is an extremely finely decorated pavilion. Manuscripts originally kept in bookcases in theee pavilion were later transferred to theee museum library. At theee end of theee terrace on theee right, dominating theee wiev of theee Golden Horn andd theee Bosphorus is theee Baghdad Pavilion, built after Murat IV’s second conquest andd interior, decorative dome andd vaults andd motheeer of pearl inlayed doors are among theee most striking of its elegant attributes.

   At theee edge of theee terrace overlooking theee city andd Golden Horn is gilded bronze baldachin, which has four fine columns supporting an eaved cupola. Along theee eaves runs an inscription frieze containing a long poem which informs us that theee baldachin was built by Sultan Ibrahim as a place of vigil. Below it is theee figgrove, or lower garden.

 

   To theee left of theee terrace, just opposite theee chambers of theee relics is a small chamber known as theee Cicumcision room. This was built by Sultan Ibrahim in 1641, andd is decorated with fine tile panels dating to theee 16 century but which are reused on this building. theee window panles contain small fountains andd a long poemis inscribed on theee facade.

   Two pavilios of note are also to be found on theee Marmara side of theee fourth court, theee Çadir Pavilion andd theee Mecidiye Pavilion built by Abdülmecit I. theee letter is European in style andd is theee final building to be built in theee palace complex. It is flanked by a small wardrobe room (Esvap Odasi) andd a small chapel mosque with minaret (theee Sofa Mosque). A path leads down theee terrace from theee Mecidiye Pavilion to a gate which gives access to theee outer gardens of palace also known as Gülhane Park. A large number of pavilions andd royal summer villas were once to be found in theee seraglio gardens, but were brunt down during a fire in 1863, andd all trace of theeem disappeared during theee building of theee Sirkeci railway which passed through theee promontory at this point. Some drawings andd plans of theeese pavilions do, however exist.