Mehmet the Conqueror built the first Topkapi
Palace shortly after the conquest
of the city. The palace has been altered and expanded throughout the ensuing
centuries. It was the home of the Turkish sultans until the 19th
Century. Much drama and intrigue occurred within these walls during those four
or so centuries.
There are four courtyards in the palace. The first is called
the Courtyard of the Jannisaries, named after the slave-soldiers who were the
shock troops of the Ottoman Empire. In this courtyard
there are three important buildings: Aya Eirine (the Church
of Divine Peace), the mint / outer
treasury of the Ottoman Empire and the Istanbul
Archaeological Museum.
The second courtyard contained the kitchen, bakery, storehouse, and chambers of
the Grand Vizier. The third courtyard opens with the main audience hall for
visitors to the Sultan, as well as the palace school, along with a library and
treasury. Court garb of the sultans are on display here. The fourth courtyard
is a garden decorated with kiosks and pavilions. There is a small mosque here.
It’s best to get there early, before the massive crowds, and
start with the Harem. Other must see places to visit at the Topkapi Palace are
the Imperial Council Chamber, the Imperial Treasury, the Sacred Safekeeping
Rooms, Baghdad Kiosk, and the Tower of Justice.
Basilica Cistern
The Basilica Cistern was built by the Emperor Justinian in
532 AD and was designed to store the city’s water supply. It has 336 columns
and a high, vaulted ceiling. Two columns in the northwest corner are surmounted
with blocks carved with Medusa heads. The sense of eerie blackness and the
constant dripping from the ceiling is fascinating. Clever spotlighting makes
the water shimmer with colored dancing lights and the water ripples from an
occasional fish swishing its tail in exuberance.