For any traveler to Istanbul, Turkey, the Topkapi Palace is on their list of must-see sites. 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. The seat of all the Sultans during this time period, the palace housed administrative offices, official halls, garden courtyards, kitchens, an armory, workshops, baths, and royal residences of the Sultans. The Topkapi Palace was converted into a museum in 1924. A tribute to the Ottoman Empire, the Topkapi Palace Museum has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. Covering an area of approximately 400,000 square meters, Topkapı Palace is the largest and oldest palace in the world to survive to this day. Today, the Topkapi Palace Museum attracts visitors from all walks of life for a glimpse of the extravagance of a bygone era.
The Topkapi Palace Museum has special meaning to Muslim travelers with its display of holy relics of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and his companions which were brought to Istanbul following the Ottoman conquest of Egypt.
Read on to find out eight prolific reasons that one must not miss out on a visit to the Topkapi Palace Museum.
The Sacred Relics Room also known as the ‘Chamber of the Holy Relics’ is located in the Privy Chamber which was remodeled to house the holy relics of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) in 1517 and is housed in the third courtyard section of the Topkapi Palace Museum. Holy relics have been collected over the centuries, sent to the Topkapi Palace for safekeeping, and today the Topkapi Palace Museum is home to some of the most treasured relics of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and his brethren. Among these, the most important are the Holy Mantle of the Prophet, the hair from the Prophet’s beard, the container in which was kept the Prophet’s tooth, and the footprints, letters, bow, and sword of the Prophet.
In addition, there are also sacred relics that are attributed to other prophets and to the companions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). These include the tray used by Abraham, the Staff of Moses, the sword of David which is also known as Goliath's sword, the robe of Joseph, the swords of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) companions, and the shirt, mantle, praying mat, and chest of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) daughter Fatimah.
These alone make the Topkapi Palace Museum a very special place for Muslim travelers to visit.
The Library of Ahmet III is also situated in the third Courtyard section of the Topkapi Palace. It was built by Sultan Ahmet III in 1719. Sometimes also referred to as the Enderûn Library, the building consists of a central space with a domed rooftop towering over a vaulted sub-structure.
The library’s book collection consists of books originating from the private collection of Sultan Ahmet III, and the books gifted by Sultan Abdulhamit I and Sultan Selim III. The library’s books included books on theology, Islamic law, and similar works of scholarship in Ottoman Turkish, Arabic, and Persian. The library collection also consists of more than 3,500 manuscripts. Of this entire collection, the most important for Muslim travelers is the Topkapi Palace Museum Quran which is the Topkapi manuscript of a copy of the Quran from the time of the third Caliph Uthman Ibn Affan.
Today, the entire library collection is housed in the Mosque of the Agas which is also located in the third Courtyard of the Topkapi Palace Museum.
The Topkapi Palace in its heyday housed many mosques for the different groups of people who lived within the Palace walls. All three Courtyards and the Harem sections have mosques that were used by different groups and named accordingly.
While on tour through the Courtyards and the Harem section, visitors will see the largest mosque in the Palace - the Beshir Aga Mosque used by the Sultans and other Imperial officials, the Cooks Mosque, the Mosque of the Squires also known as the Agalar Mosque, the Sofa Mosque also called the Terrace Mosque was for the use of the corps, the Mosque of Eunuchs, and the Harem Mosque.
The Topkapi Palace Museum’s Harem section consists of the original building made of six floors with over 300 rooms. The Harem section which housed the Sultan’s private residential quarters is sub-divided into many different areas including the Dome with Cupboards/Treasury of Holy Relics, the courtyard of the Queen Mother, the Mosque and living quarters of the Eunuchs, apartments for the Sultans’ favorite wives and the Queen Mother, the throne room and the imperial hall among many others.
The Topkapi Palace Museum has different collections that display the rich lives of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire. Visitors will find these wide-ranging collections housed in the different areas and sections of the Topkapi Palace Museum.
While on tour at the Topkapi Palace Museum, don’t miss out on the collection of Sultans’ clothing, from the second half of the 15th century to the early 20th century. These clothing are considered some of the finest examples of Ottoman textile art.
There is also an exhibit that showcases the copper utensils that were an important part of Topkapı Palace’s kitchenware. These items are exhibited in the Confectionery House in the Palace’s kitchens.
There is also an extensive collection of porcelain on display from Europe, China, and Japan. The Chinese and Japanese collections are displayed in the Topkapi Palace’s Imperial Kitchen section and consist of more than 10,000 pieces. The Chinese collection is the largest porcelain collection outside of China. The exquisite porcelains from the European collection also include some Bohemian glass and crystal objects that are considered an important part of this collection.
The Topkapı Palace Museum’s weaponry collection is considered among the world’s premier weapons collections consisting of 52,000 weapons of Arab, Umayyad, Abbasid, Mamluk, Persian, Turkish, Crimean Tartar, Indian, European, and Japanese origin, and spanning nearly 1,300 years. However, the collection’s most memorable items are those that consist of weapons ordered by the sultans’ personally or specially made as gifts for them and were a part of the palace’s private collection.
This is a very valuable collection that is housed in the various parts of the Topkapi Palace Museum. These Portraits are done in many different styles such as engravings, oil paintings, watercolors, and paintings on ivory.
Traditionally, items of the treasury were stored in cupboards and chests only to be taken out when the Sultans’ visited the Treasury. However, Sultan Abdulmecid broke with this tradition and put up some items on display. Today, the Topkapi Palace Museum’s Treasury section continues with this tradition and displays fabulous jewels and jeweled objects that have been presented to the Sultans’ over the centuries by both foreign ambassadors and local artists and craftsmen.
The majority of these treasures were received as gifts presented at ambassadorial receptions and on the occasion of the Sultans’ weddings, the births of their children, and the circumcision festivities of the princes.
A very important item of the collection at the Imperial Treasury section of the Topkapi Palace Museum is the pear-shaped Spoonmaker’s Diamond considered the fourth largest diamond of its kind in the world.
The Hagia Irene church can be found in the outer first Courtyard section of the Topkapi Palace Museum. This church was not converted into a mosque after the conquest of Istanbul by the Ottomans, and very few changes were made during Ottoman rule. Intermittently over the years, the Hagia Irene has been used as a weapons depot and as a museum for showcasing weapons, early munitions, and artifacts, and also as a military museum. Until 2014, the Hagia Irene was only open for special musical and concert events owing to its fabulous acoustics. However, today it is open to all visitors.
The Topkapi Palace Museum is inundated with a rich heritage and historical significance that spans four centuries of the Ottoman reign in Turkey. With roots based in Islam, there are many architectural motifs taken from Islamic designs and traditions. The palace complex has hundreds of rooms and chambers, but only the most important and significant are open to the public today. Of these, some of the chambers that will attract Muslin Visitors include the Circumcision Room and the Iftaree Pavilion.
The Topkapi Palace Museum is open every day except Tuesdays.
Summer Season: Between April 15th - October 30th
Museum, Harem and Hagia Irene can be visited between 9.00 am – 6.45 pm
Note: Ticket booths close at 6.00 pm
Winter Season: Between October 30th to April 15th
Museum, Harem and Hagia Irene can be visited between 9.00 am– 4.45 pm
Note: Ticket booths close at 4.00 pm
The Topkapi Palace Museum is closed from time-to-time for public holidays and religious festivals. It would be ideal to take a quick look at the official website to ensure that the Palace is open on the day you choose to visit.
For foreign visitors, the entrance fee is as below. Don’t forget to take a valid ID (a passport would ideal). Tickets can also be bought online.
Tickets bought at the entrance of the Topkapi Palace Museum can be paid for either in cash or by credit card.
Topkapı Palace Museum Ticket Price- adult/child under 12 years TL40/free
Harem SectionTicketPrice - adult/child under 6 years TL25/free
Hagia Irene and Halberdier's with Tresses Section Ticket Price - adult/child under 6 years TL20/free
There are some visit rules that is required to be strictly adhered to and details.
For the Muslim visitor, it would be ideal to take this opportunity to pray at the Blue Mosque which is in close proximity to the Topkapi Palace Museum, an approximate 15-minute walk. Alternately, there are also other mosques near the Topkapi Palace Museumsuch as the Firuz Aga Mosque and the Koprulu Mosque that Muslim visitors can use to observe their prayers.
There are several restaurants at a maximum of 30-minute distance from the Topkapi Palace Museum that serves halal food. Depending on the circumstances, Muslim visitors can either walk or drive to these halal-friendly restaurants. Some of these restaurants are Café Rumist, Le Safran Kebab, Fuego Restaurant, Balkan Lokantasi, Warung Ibu Deden, and Ziya Sark Sofrasi.
The Topkapi Palace is indeed worth a visit for all the above reasons and more… So while you make your plans for your stay in Istanbul, make sure to allocate enough time to take in the grandeur and the treasures at the Topkapi Palace Museum. A quick visit to the Topkpapi Palace gift shops located in the different Courtyard sections of the Topkapi Palace Museum is worth your time as visitors can pick up some mementos to take home from the wide range of guides, books, and art books, together with art objects, replicas and merchandise related to temporary exhibitions on offer.
Sakina has over 20 years of experience in the field of corporate communications; having worked for a leading Annual Report Production House dealing with top corporates of Sri Lanka and overseas, and later as the Group Communications Specialist for a Sri Lankan conglomerate for their overseas plantations business. She is well-versed in the production process of annual reports, sustainability reports, corporate videos and other corporate communication media. She also has experience in Social Media Marketing and works to increase and improve social media presence of corporates and small niche market businesses. Today, she works as a freelance writer and undertakes consultations on corporate communications and social media related projects. She enjoys writing for blogs on topics of interest.
