Imperial Gate

This gate, built as the main entrance on the palace’s Hagia Sophia side in the time of Sultan Mehmed II (the Conqueror), bears above it an inscription in Arabic by `Ali ibn Yahya as-Sufi, which reads as follows: “By the grace and assent of God and with the aim of establishing peace and tranquility, this auspicious citadel was built and erected in the blessèd month of Ramadan in the year 883 [November–December 1478] at the command of the son of Sultan Murad, son of Sultan Mehmed Khan, the sultan of the lands and the emperor of the seas, the shadow of God extending over men and djinn, the deputy of God in the East and in the West, the champion of the water and the land, the conqueror of Constantinople and father of that conquest Sultan Mehmed, may God make his reign eternal and exalt his abode above that of the highest stars in the firmament.”

The First Courtyard Parade Grounds

The First Courtyard is reached through the Imperial Gate. This courtyard, where various ceremonies and processions were held, was the only part of the palace open to the public. The De`âvî Pavilion, of which only the foundation has survived to the present day, was located near the Gate of Salutation (Bâbü’s-Selâm or “Middle Gate”) and was where the public conveyed their written petitions to the palace.

On the left side of the courtyard stand the church of Hagia Eirene (Aya Ýrini) and the Royal Mint (Darphâne-i Âmire). It was also here that the Firewood Storehouse, the Wickerworkers’ Headquarters, and the Patriarchate were located; the remains of the latter can be seen behind the administrative building and sentry station, built at the end of the 19th century.

On the right side of the courtyard stood the Ministry of Finance; the Palace Hospital; bakeries producing bread and simit for the palace; the Mosque of the Royal Bakery; and employees’ residences. There was also a water tower that contained a fountain and was built in the time of Sultan Mahmud II (r. 1808–39). One of the most interesting structures remaining in the First Courtyard is the Executioners’ Fountain, which can be seen on the right of the Gate of Salutation; here, purportedly, executioners would wash their hands following an execution. It was also in this area of the courtyard that the palace woodsheds were located.

In this courtyard, there are two small gates opening onto the Royal Garden: on the Golden Horn side is the Kozbekçileri Gate; on the Sea of Marmara side is the Gate of the Boot. The most important and the oldest structure in the courtyard is the Byzantine church of Hagia Eirene, built in the 6th century to serve as the church for the Patriarchate. Following the construction of Topkapý Palace, Hagia Eirene was used as an armory. Later, during the time of Fethi Ahmed Pasha (1802–58), it was converted into the Archaeology Museum, serving in this capacity until 1894, when the Archaeology Museum was moved to the building it currently occupies and Hagia Eirene became a military museum.

The palace workshops located near the church reflect a tradition that originated in the Roman Empire and was continued under the Ottomans. In these workshops, fine crafts such as carpentry, leather working, bookbinding, and manuscript illumination were carried out; it was also here that gifts to be sent to foreign states were prepared. When the court moved out of Topkapý Palace in the 19th century, the workshops were converted into the Royal Mint, where imperial coins were pressed.

Second Courtyard / Council Square

The Gate of Salutation, also known as the Middle Gate (Orta Kapý) leads into the palace proper; with its two grand towers, it served as a symbol of the pomp and majesty of the Ottoman state, and has since become an icon for the whole of Topkapý Palace as well. Built during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II, the Gate of Salutation subsequently underwent numerous renovations in the 16th and 17th centuries. Only the sultan was allowed to pass through the Gate of Salutation on horseback; the grand vizier and all other state officials were required to dismount before entering. However, the women of the palace were allowed to go through the gate in royal carriages.

The Gate of Salutation’s two towers were constructed in the time of Sultan Suleiman I (r. 1520–66), known in English as Suleiman the Magnificent and in Turkish as Suleiman the Lawgiver (Kanûnî). In one of these towers was the room where the Chief Gatekeeper would receive foreign ambassadors until they were granted permission to enter the palace. Currently, the museum visit begins at the Gate of Salutation.

The Second Courtyard, also known as the Council Square (Dîvân Meydaný), was laid out in the 1460s, shortly after Sultan Mehmed II had conquered the city. It served as an official representation of the Ottoman state, being a ceremonial grounds for state governance: here were held the ceremonies of royal enthronement (cülûs-ý hümâyûn), formal holiday festivities, the reception of ambassadors, and the stipend paid to the sultan’s household soldiers (`ulûfe dîvâný), among them the Janissary corps. On the right side of the courtyard, behind the portico, are located the palace kitchens, while on the left side stand the Tower of Justice and the Domed Chamber (Kubbealtý); the latter is where meetings of the Imperial Council (Dîvân-ý Hümâyûn) were held. Near the Domed Chamber stands the External Treasury, which currently houses the museum’s weapons collection. In this corner of the courtyard the Carriage Gate to the Harem apartments can also be seen, while on the lower level, behind the colonnade, the Halberdiers’ Barracks and the courtyard of the Royal Stables are visible.

In the courtyard to the left of the Gate of Salutation are two fountains constructed in the time of Sultan Ahmed III (r. 1703–30), while to the right of the gate are an open-air prayer ground (namazgâh) from the time of Sultan Selim III (r. 1789–1807) and large fragments of columns dating back to the Byzantine era. Also noteworthy in this courtyard are the Byzantine cistern—located on the Sultan’s Way, which leads through the Gate of Salutation to the Gate of Felicity(Bâbü’s-Sa`âde)—and the salutation stones marking where dignitaries would stop to perform salutations; these are located on the Viziers’ Way, which leads to the Domed Chamber.

Third Courtyard / Enderun Courtyard

The Inner Palace Courtyard is like the keep of a castle: when the gates to this courtyard surrounded by strong structures are shut, entry is virtually impossible. The courtyard, whose space is occupied largely by dormitories and barracks, covers an area of approximately nine dönüm, with one dönüm equaling roughly 920 square meters.

Upon entering the courtyard from the Gate of Felicity, the first building one sees is the Audience Chamber (`Arz Odası). Located immediately behind the Audience Chamber is the Library of Sultan Ahmed III. On the right side of the courtyard are the Inner Palace School (Enderûn Mektebi), the Campaigners’ Barracks, the Pavilion of the Conqueror (Fâtih Köşkü), and the remains of a hammam dating to the time of Sultan Selim II (r. 1566–74). The Rehearsal Chamber (Meşkhâne), where music was taught, once stood before the Campaigners’ Barracks, but has not survived to the present. On the left side of the Inner Palace Courtyard are the four-domed Privy Room (Has Oda), which houses the Holy Mantle of the Prophet (Hırka-i Sa`âdet) and other holy relics; the Privy Room Dormitory; and the Mosque of the Aghas of the Inner Palace. On the two sides of the Gate of Felicity are located the Greater and the Lesser Chambers of the Inner Palace, the White Eunuchs’ Dormitory, and the Apiary, while opposite the gate across the courtyard are the Treasury of the Chamberlain, the Dormitory of the Treasury, and the Butlers’ Dormitory.

Fourth Courtyard / Sofa-i Humayun

The area onto which the double-columned portico of the Privy Room opens is the terrace known as the Royal Hall or the Marble Hall. This space, made up of a flower garden and a marble terrace with a pool, is one of the favorite sites in Topkapý Palace. The pool, which contains a jet of water and is located in front of the portico, was once larger, but construction in the 17th century by Sultan Murad IV (r. 1623–40) and Sultan Ýbrahim I (r. 1640–48) resulted in the pool’s being made more narrow and the terrace’s being widened in the direction of the Golden Horn. In the Fourth Courtyard are found the Circumcision Chamber, the Iftar Gazebo, the Yerevan Pavilion, and the Baghdad Pavilion.

From this courtyard, one descends a three-meter long staircase to the Royal Hall, where the Pavilion Hall and the Tower of the Chief Physician are located, and which is also a garden with tulips and other flowers. The lowest terrace in this direction, which is toward the Marmara Sea, contains the Mecidiye Pavilion, the Garment Room, and the Mosque of the Hall.