A Date with History at Topkapi Palace.

A Date with History at Topkapi Palace, Istanbul .

September 2020.

You just know some days are going to be special the moment you step outside. This sunny afternoon in the Turkish capital was one of them. The sky an absolutely perfect and unblemished deep blue. The sun shining bright, but not too invasive. What ideal conditions from which to take a walk through the city towards Istanbul’s 555 year old Topkapi Palace. A place that, if it hadn’t been for COVID times, would be heaving with visitors.

In contrast, we found barely a handful of folk milling around outside the entrance. As such, it was impossible not to smile as we approached the commanding twin towers, anticipating the hours ahead in a museum of such historic and cultural magnitude.

After all, this is the palace that the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II ordered the construction of in 1459, just six years after he oversaw the Fall of Constantinople.

Eventually, six to seven years later, he had realised his dream. His palace was a vast and lavish complex overlooking the Bosphorus, built using the very best materials from far and wide. He called it “Topkapi”, the Cannon Gate Palace.

A Date with History at Topkapi Palace.

Naturally, the palace greatly expanded over the centuries, getting bigger and bolder with each passing year. In fact, it ended up being home to no less than 30 sultans! But in the 1850s it was Abdulmejid I, the Ottoman Empire’s 31st sultan, who called time on the old joint by moving the royal court to the brand new Dolmabahce Palace. All Things Must Pass, and all that.

The museum we were about to explore was established in 1923 by government decree. We entered that day through the Gate of Salutation, commissioned by good old Mehmed in 1468. Its gargantuan iron doors, which open each morning to allow the day’s visitors in, arrived in 1524. There are handsome calligraphic royal seals meanwhile, on each side, including that of Mustafa III, who ruled between 1757-1774.

On the other side we had to pass through a sizeable security station. Bags, jackets, contents of your pockets through the scanner, all that malarkey. Not sure which sultan established this bit.

Free from the suspicious/bored looks of the uniformed security officers, we emerged into the wide expanse of Council Justice Square. A giant courtyard that served as the Ottoman Empire’s Centre of Administration, in addition to being the palace’s ceremonial grounds.

Exploring Istanbul.

With its towering cypress trees, pruned hedges and spotless stone path, it is undeniably beautiful and calming. Moreover, it was fun to watch the birds darting between the trees. And to spot a lone seagull who’d swooped into the courtyard for an inquisitive peck.

At the end of the square we found ourselves pausing to appreciate the so-called Gate of Felicity. A 15th century construct that grants access to the Audience Hall, this was the sight of just about every major ceremony you could think of. From holiday festivities and the enthronement of sultans, to weddings, funerals and declarations of war.

As for the vaulted Audience Hall, this is where the sultan and his advisers gathered to receive state officials. The entire space is gorgeous, with marble columns and a ceiling showcasing jewels and outstanding lacquer work.

According to historic records, the iron-bar window to the left of the Throne Room used to display the various gifts the sultan received from high profile visitors. My favourite bits though were the stunning rows of green, blue and white mosaic tiles that flank the doorway. They date from the 16th century, so impressive.

A Date with History at Topkapi Palace.

Inside the throne room we found ourselves face to face (albeit behind a glass case) with an actual antique 18th century Golden Ceremonial throne. It’s an incredible piece, though disappointingly the museum provides no further information as to which sultan may have used it.

On the other side of the throne room, our wanderings took us to the sizeable Enderun Courtyard. This is where hundreds of young males came to live in purpose-built dormitories in order to be educated and trained as royal soldiers, bureaucrats and artisans.

However, most of the men that came to live here didn’t have a say in the matter. Rather, they were forcibly removed from families across Europe in a controversial practice called Devshirme.

Also known as Blood Tax, the sultans targeted Balkan, Christian families under Turkish rule. They also claimed sons of Turkish noble families suspected of opposing the sultan. Then taxed them for the cost of clothing and transport to the palace. 

Some of the young men trained at Topkapi Palace rose to high positions. A few even became grand viziers, pretty much the second highest position in the empire after the sultan.

Blood Tax.

In the 19th century, Sultan Murad III oversaw the transformation of one of the palace’s biggest student dormitories. He basically turned it into an exhibition chamber for what some say is the world’s largest collection of ancient Muslim objects. Today it stands as the Museum of Sacred Relics, a staggering collection of items gifted to the empire’s various sultans throughout the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

Inside we wandered through several rooms, unsure what to make of what we saw. Scrolls belonging to John the Baptist… an actual stone footprint of Muhammed… a staff used by Moses.

As we explored, there were reminders at every turn of the museum’s strict no photo policy. Indeed there were numerous signs and confrontational guards stationed around the place. Ready, at any moment, to publicly shame anyone who even looked like they were considering taking a photo.

I much preferred the peaceful vibe at the incredibly elegant Library of Ahmed III. Outside the main entrance, we paused for a moment to appreciate the vibrant colours and flawless carvings of the library drinking fountain.

Sultan Ahmed III established the library in 1719 as a gift to everyone who lived and worked in the inner palace. It is nothing short of a visual feast, with its Iznik tiles, arched alcoves and geometric stone inlays. A pristine example, the museum blurb tells visitors, of Tulip Period architecture.

A Date with History at Topkapi Palace.

The sultan filled the library with major Islamic works of the time, in addition to poetry and novels in a variety of European languages. Unfortunately, all those antique titles have long gone, scattered around various museums in Turkey.

Still, one amazing item that remains is the actual pick used by the sultan during the library’s groundbreaking ceremony at the start of the construction project.

The sultans certainly had it good. As if all those luxurious living quarters weren’t enough, they also enjoyed wondrous views of the city across the wide expanse of the Bosphorus. Likewise, today’s visitors get to enjoy the same views, which we lapped up on such a sunny September afternoon.

Once again, for the umpteenth time, we thanked our lucky stars to have experienced such an unmissable Istanbul site at a time when the crowds were largely absent. A moment to breathe, smile and reflect.

Bosphorus Views.

Next, we took a leisurely walk through the palace gardens. As you would expect everything was spotless, with fulsome flower beds, pretty trees and nurtured bushes abound. Some tastefully set around historic stone fountains and ponds.

Along the way, it was fun to come across one of several stone garden thrones built directly into the walls. This is where the sultan and his closest advisors would sit and watch sporting events such as wrestling and javelin. I’m guessing with plenty of soft cushions to avoid a crippling case of numb bum.

Fascinatingly, the inscription above the seat celebrates the “exceptional skills” of Sultan Murad IV, who won a javelin horseback competition during Ramadan in 1637.

By this point I had suspected that the palace’s most impressive architecture was behind us. However, our visit concluded with a series of knockout garden pavilions, referred to throughout the museum as kiosks. First up was Terrace Kiosk, or Sofa Kiosk. In some articles, Kara Mustafa Pasha Kiosk. Just pick the one you like best.

Built by Sultan Mehmd IV, for the most part it stood as a private room open only to the sultan and…. ahem… his harem of women. Wink, wink. From time to time though the sultan also held meetings here.

Nearby we came across Yerevan Kiosk, built in honour of Murad IV’s capture of the eponymous Armenian capital in 1635. Octagonal in shape, it was designed by the famed Ottoman architect Koca Kasam Aga.

A Date with History at Topkapi Palace.

For at least a century those in the palace also called the Yerevan Kiosk the Turban Room, due to the fact that this is where the sultan stored his vast collection of turbans.

And how about the Circumcision Chamber? Yes, that’s right, a ceremonial kiosk dreamed up by Suleiman the Magnificent. Here, his many many sons (and the many many sons of the sultans who followed) would come to get circumcised.

The grandest of these pavilions, arguably, is Baghdad Kiosk. Not least because of its dramatic location on Iftariye Balcony, which provides more wonderful views of the Bosphorus.

This one commemorates another military victory in, yes you got it, Baghdad. There’s some serious bling behind the red security ropes. One is a silver charcoal stove gifted to the palace by the French king Louis XIV. The other, a throne belonging to Sultan Mahmud II.

Baghdad Kiosk.

Finally, we were done with what had been an unforgettable date with history at Topkapi Palace. Unfortunately, we had not been able to see the Imperial Harem, the private living quarters of the Queen Mother and the concubines. Famed as one of the palace’s most beautiful sections, the harem is a definite reason to go back one day.

Making our way towards the exit, we negotiated one last stretch of garden. Then cut through the cobbled street home to all the palace kitchens, store rooms and wine cellars.

Leaving the compound, we were tired but happy. And already trying to figure out on what day we would go and explore Topkapi’s successor, Dolmabahce Palace.

Outside, we stopped for a moment to get our bearings. A street seller smiled, turning his row of corn ribs. Ah… one of the very few things on Planet Earth that I can’t eat. Thus we returned his smile and headed off in search of a more palatable dinner.

Like this? Take a look at my series of articles on Istanbul.

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