Topkapi Palace
Museum guide

Topkapi Palace

The Spoonmaker's Diamond, the Harem, the Sacred Relics and the Baghdad Kiosk: four courts of the Ottoman sultans' palace, at your own pace.

One floor19 rooms100+ piecesabout an hour of stories
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Optional paths through the museum.

60 minTopkapi Palace in an HourTen stops from the Gate of Salutation to the Baghdad Kiosk: the Council Hall, the Audience Chamber, the Spoonmaker's Diamond, the Topkapi Dagger and the Holy Mantle.10 pieces · 1 floor180 minThe Courts and the Harem in Three HoursThe whole palace in order: the gates, Sinan's kitchens, the Council Hall, the Harem from the Black Eunuchs' courtyard to the Golden Road, then the Treasury, the Sacred Relics and the kiosks of the Fourth Court.23 pieces · 1 floor50 minGates, Councils and ThronesHow an empire was run from a garden: the gate only the sultan rode through, the council he could overhear, the gate where the banner was raised and the room where he received his ministers.10 pieces · 1 floor55 minTiles, Fountains and Small WondersA sultan's fountain at the gate, sherbet bowls, Ottoman clocks, a room painted with fruit, a fountain said to have hidden the sultan's conversations, talismanic shirts and the inlaid shutters of the Baghdad Kiosk.12 pieces · 1 floor55 minFour Centuries of BuildingA sultan's walled hill above three waters, a gate only he could ride through, Sinan's kitchens, a Harem fire, a treasury rescued from its own concrete roof, and the kiosk where the palace ends and the museum begins.9 pieces · 1 floor

Don't miss

SThe Spoonmaker's DiamondLevel P
TThe Topkapi DaggerLevel P
HThe Holy MantleLevel P
The Imperial HallThe Imperial HallLevel P
The Baghdad Kiosk: porch and outer wallsThe Baghdad Kiosk: porch and outer wallsLevel P
TThe throne canopy of the Audience ChamberLevel P

From the outside

Topkapi Palace: the Gate of Salutation, the Middle Gate into the Second Court
the Gate of Salutation, the Middle Gate into the Second Court
Topkapi Palace: the palace roofs, domes and the Tower of Justice above the trees
the palace roofs, domes and the Tower of Justice above the trees
Topkapi Palace: the palace on its point from the air, the courts one behind another
the palace on its point from the air, the courts one behind another
Topkapi Palace: the palace above the shore, seen from the water
the palace above the shore, seen from the water
Topkapi Palace: the Gate of Salutation in autumn
the Gate of Salutation in autumn
Topkapi Palace: the Tower of Justice from the Second Court
the Tower of Justice from the Second Court

The building

PThe palaceThe Imperial GateThe Gate of SalutationThe Royal Stables: the Clock MuseumThe Palace KitchensThe Imperial Council Hall and the Tower of JusticeHarem: the Carriage Gate and the Black Eunuchs' CourtyardHarem: the Concubines' and the Queen Mother's CourtyardsHarem: the Imperial Hall and the Sultans' Privy RoomsHarem: the Twin Kiosks and the Courtyard of the FavouritesThe Gate of FelicityThe Audience ChamberThe Library of Ahmed IIIThe Treasury Dormitory: the Calligraphy GalleryThe Expeditionary Force Dormitory: the Sultans' Costumesand 5 more rooms
Photo credits (57)
  • Topkapi Palace: Alperen Gümüşsoy, Pexels License
  • Topkapi Palace, the palace roofs, domes and the Tower of Justice above the trees: Muhammed Zahid Bulut, Pexels License
  • Topkapi Palace, the palace on its point from the air, the courts one behind another: K, Pexels License
  • Topkapi Palace, the palace above the shore, seen from the water: Alp, Pexels License
  • Topkapi Palace, the Gate of Salutation in autumn: Fatih Ekmekçibaşı, Pexels License
  • Topkapi Palace, the Tower of Justice from the Second Court: Mathias Reding, Pexels License
  • The Imperial Gate: Gryffindor, Public domain
  • The First Court: Georges Jansoone User : JoJan, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • The Gate of Salutation: Adam Carr, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • The Second Court: Yair Haklai, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • The Palace Kitchens: Gryffindor, Public domain
  • The Imperial Council Hall and the Tower of Justice: Gryffindor, Public domain
  • Harem: the Carriage Gate and the Black Eunuchs' Courtyard: Gryffindor, Public domain
  • Harem: the Concubines' and the Queen Mother's Courtyards: Karelj, Public domain
  • Harem: the Imperial Hall and the Sultans' Privy Rooms: Gryffindor, Public domain
  • Harem: the Twin Kiosks and the Courtyard of the Favourites: Yair Haklai, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • The Gate of Felicity: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg), CC BY-SA 4.0
  • The Audience Chamber: Giovanni Dall'Orto, Attribution
  • The Library of Ahmed III: Bahatur, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • The Third Court: Ottoman miniature painter, Public domain
  • The Imperial Treasury: Gryffindor, Public domain
  • The Marble Terrace: the Revan Kiosk and the Circumcision Room: Yair Haklai, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • The Baghdad Kiosk: Yair Haklai, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • The Tulip Garden and the Sofa Kiosk: Wolfgang Moroder, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • The Mecidiye Kiosk: Moonik, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • The Imperial Hall: Gryffindor, Public domain
  • The Baghdad Kiosk: porch and outer walls: Mert Aslan, Pexels License
  • The Council Hall: Gryffindor, Public domain
  • The Circumcision Room and its tiles: Radosław Botev, CC BY 3.0 pl
  • The Privy Chamber of Murad III: R Prazeres, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • The Fruit Room (Privy Room of Ahmed III): Gryffindor, Public domain
  • The Iftariye canopy: Moonik, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • The Revan (Yerevan) Kiosk: Moonik, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • The Library of Ahmed III: Yair Haklai, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • The Gate of Felicity and its canopy: Gryffindor, Public domain
  • Sinan's kitchen domes and chimneys: Gryffindor, Public domain
  • The Imperial Gate and its calligraphy: José Luiz, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • The Fountain of Ahmed III: Crab Lens, Pexels License
  • The lost upper storey of the Imperial Gate: Marie-Gabriel-Florent-Auguste de Choiseul-Gouffier, Public domain
  • The Imperial Mint: Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • The twin towers of the Gate of Salutation: LBM1948, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • The porch on the court side: Gryffindor, Public domain
  • The Beşir Ağa Mosque: Julien Maury, Public domain
  • The Tower of Justice: Nicole Densmoor, Pexels License
  • The Outer Treasury: Gryffindor, Public domain
  • Courtyard of the Concubines and Consorts: Gryffindor, Public domain
  • The Queen Mother's Courtyard: Karelj, Public domain
  • The Queen Mother's Apartment: Karelj, Public domain
  • The Hall with the Hearth: Yair Haklai, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • The Golden Road: Gryffindor, Public domain
  • The landscape paintings under the eaves: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg), CC BY-SA 4.0
  • The fireplace hood: José Luiz, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • The Mosque of the Aghas: Yair Haklai, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • The Sofa Kiosk: R Prazeres, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • The Head Physician's Room (Head Tutor's Tower): Gryffindor, Public domain
  • The Mecidiye Kiosk: Yair Haklai, CC BY-SA 4.0
  • The Wardrobe Chamber: Moonik, CC BY-SA 3.0

An independent audio guide by Roamer, not affiliated with or endorsed by the Topkapi Palace. Museum admission is separate. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, Flickr and Pexels contributors under open licences; credits on each piece.

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