Topkapı Palace
The Topkapi Palace ( Ottoman طوپقپو سرايى Topkapi Sarayi, in German also Topkapi Seraglio, literally " Kanonentor Palace " ) in Istanbul was for centuries the home and seat of government of the Sultans and the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire.
With the building ( 1453) was started by Sultan Mehmed II soon after the conquest of Constantinople. First, he had a palace on the present Beyazıtplatz (Beyazit Meydanı ) build. But a little later he then decided for a second project elsewhere. From 1459, a new, first of two courtyards (now 2nd and 3rd courtyard) existing palace was built on the today sarayburnu mentioned headland between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara, which was completed in 1468. Parts of the Byzantine Mangana palace were built over. 1478 a defensive wall was built around the palace in the distance, among other things, the space for today's first court was formed. Thus the basic structure of the palace was established in the 15th century in essential. The construction is thus even after the subsequent transformations of one of the most important architectural evidence of the Renaissance period in Europe.
Its present appearance was the system through extensive renovations and upgrades to the beginning of the 18th century. Since all Mehmed II Ottoman rulers resided in the Topkapi Palace, Sultan Abdülmecid to the new Dolmabahçe Sarayi referring I. in 1856 on the other side of the Golden Horn on the shores of the Bosphorus. Both palaces are now museums.
The palace consists not of a single, but true to the Turkish tradition of several buildings in a large garden. With an area of about 69 hectares and up to 5000 inhabitants of the palace was a separate city. They called him initially Saray -ı Cedîd -i AMIRE / سرای جديد عامره or Yeni Saray / يکی سرای /, New Palace ' before asserted itself in the 18th century, the name Topkapi Sarayi, which was derived from the palace 's own cannon foundry.
The palace is divided into four courtyards, which are reached by each own goals. Located on a headland, it offers an unparalleled panoramic view of Istanbul, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn.
First courtyard
The main entrance to the palace grounds is the Bab -ı Humayun / باب همايون /, large magnificent gate '. Left and right of the door there are rooms that were provided for the guards. Above the arch is a calligraphic inscription Ali bin Yahya Sofi, which bears the date 1478 and it started during the rule of Mehmed II. In the first court premises for services were mainly housed. On the park-like space parades were held.
Second Court
The second courtyard was the political center, and hosted public and administrative spaces. On the east side of the palace kitchen was housed over the entire length, which produced up to 6000 meals a day. Furthermore, the accommodation of the spearmen, the bodyguard of the Sultan were on this farm.
Third Court
In the third courtyard is accessed by the Bab - üs Saade / باب السعاده /, Gate of Felicity '. The farm could be entered only by express permission. Here was the throne hall for receptions of the highest state officials, the viziers and foreign guests. On either side of the gate was the Palace School Enderun, where the offspring was trained for the state and administrative professions. To prevent corruption, there was for young men from the Ottoman Empire - partly as slaves - were taken to training in the palace school, three essential conditions: first you could not be a Turk. 2 They had to be orphans. 3 It could not a relative working in the palace. Furthermore, here the Darüssaade, the Forbidden City was harem ( from Arabic حرام / haram = forbidden, taboo ). There, the private quarters of the sultan and his harem ladies were, up to 2000 women who lived under the guidance of Sultan mother in their rooms.
Fourth Court
In the fourth courtyard, other parks and gardens were located on different terraces.
The interior of the rooms of the palace bears witness to the immense wealth of the Ottoman rulers. Only the noblest building materials such as marble and tropical wood, precious carpets and most expensive furniture were used; also tons of gold has been processed for the decoration and ornamentation.
Current usage
Since 1923, the museum is housed in the Topkapi Palace. It houses collections of porcelain, manuscripts, portraits, robes, jewels and weapons from the Ottoman Empire, and also the Islamic relics, such as weapons of Muhammad and the first caliphs, one of the oldest copies of the Koran, the map of Piri Reis or beard of the Prophet Mohammed. Conservative Muslims thus demand a closure of the palace for tourism.
Others
The Topkapi Palace served as the backdrop for the 1964 film of the same with Topkapi Melina Mercouri, Maximilian Schell and Peter Ustinov.