Topkapı Palace, Turkey

The Topkapı Palace, also known as the Seraglio, is a sizable museum and library located in Istanbul, Turkey's Fatih neighborhood to the east. It functioned as the Ottoman Empire's administrative hub and the principal palace of its sultans from the 1460s until Dolmabahçe Palace was finished in 1856.Six years after the conquest of Constantinople, in 1459, construction got underway on the Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror's orders. To differentiate it from the Old Palace (Eski Saray or Sarây-ı Atîk-i Âmire) in Beyazıt Square, Topkapı was first known as the "New Palace" (Yeni Saray or Saray-ı Cedîd-i Âmire).In the 19th century, it was called Topkapı, which translates to Cannon Gate.Over the ages, the complex grew, undergoing significant modifications following the fire in 1665 and the earthquake in 1509. Four main courtyards and numerous minor structures make up the palace complex. The Grand Vizier and other top state officials met at the Imperial Council building, while female members of the Sultan's household resided in the harem.

The significance of Topkapı steadily diminished after the 17th century. The sultans of that era favored spending more time at their new Bosphorus mansions.Sultan Abdulmejid I made the decision to relocate the court to the recently constructed Dolmabahçe Palace in 1856. Topkapı kept some of its functions, including as the mint, library, and imperial treasury.

A government edict dated April 3, 1924, converted Topkapı into a museum following the fall of the Ottoman Empire in 1923. The Topkapı Palace Museum is currently run by Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism. As of 2020, only the most significant rooms and chambers in the palace complex—such as the Ottoman Imperial Harem and the treasury, known as Haze, which houses the Spoonmaker's Diamond and the Topkapi Dagger—are open to the public. Ottoman attire, armor, weapons, miniatures, religious artifacts, and illuminated manuscripts like the Topkapi manuscript are also part of the museum's collection. The compound is guarded by Turkish military armed guards and ministry officials. The Topkapı Palace is one of the locations of Istanbul's Historic Areas, which were designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1985.