February 11, 2006

Topkapi Palace

In the mid 1400's Mehmet the Conqueror ended Christian rule in Constantinople by occupying it. He then started rebuilding the city and changing the religion to Islam. Two of his famous projects were the Grand Bazaar and Topkapi Palace.

Topkapi Palace finished its construction 25 years after Mehmet occupied the the city now known as Istanbul. Instead of a single building, they built Topkapi Palace as a series of pavilions within four large garden courts.This became the Sultan's official residence.

Inside the Palace grounds, there are many buildings to visit. There is The Harem which is the palace built with rooms and baths ( think Hamam or Turkish bath) for all the sultan's wives and concubines. The Treasury where you can see gold, silver, and precious metals and jewel-encrusted ornaments in exhibit. They even have a Circumcision Pavilion where they hold and witness the act in the olden days. The Kitchen is another must see visit with it's amazingly huge collection of chinese and japanese flatwares.

There was also a building full of exhibit of the all the Sultan's Costumes, another for all the arms and armour used in war, and a building miniatures and manuscripts of Islam.

Topkapi Palace ceased to be the Sultan's official residence after Dolmabahce Palace was constructed in the 1800s. Even with this, In its almost 600 years of existence, it still holds the grandeur of the past. As we walked along the corridors, looked at the exhibit and strolled in the park, we realized how Istanbul will always remain a must-see city.

Posted by duke at 2/11/2006 12:37:00 PM

14 Comments:

Analyse said...: lucky duke! isnt it great to live in a country full of history and culture..; 2/12/2006 10:56:00 AM
Talang Pula said...: wow, ganda. keep up the virtual tour, Duke. =)

(hey, pictures mo ba mga 'yan? you should consider taking pictures for a living.); 2/12/2006 03:14:00 PM
Gayzha said...: indeed, i would like to visit Turkey one of these years!; 2/13/2006 03:16:00 AM
Unknown said...: Hi Duke, You are indeed lucky. I hope I get to visit Turkey one day.; 2/13/2006 03:50:00 AM
Anonymous said...: wow..ganda! i remember tuloy our trip at emirates palace in abu dhabi, hehhe; 2/13/2006 07:54:00 AM
duke said...: ana i've never been so culture oriented in my life until I started travelling! it's a cool experience.

TP thanks! oo naman. I took the pictures. Feeling pro (winks) thanks for the kind words.

jhaya If I am still living here that time.. I woudl love to tour you around!

angelove thanks! I hope you get to go here in the near future too :D

pobs I saw your pics of your emirates palace trip in abu dhabi. nice!; 2/13/2006 12:24:00 PM
DanieL said...: now this are nice pictures of turkey. i like...

=); 2/13/2006 05:07:00 PM
Unknown said...: Wow - I love the pictures. They look much different than I would have thought!; 2/13/2006 06:47:00 PM
Dr. Emer said...: Awesome! I have taken note of this place. I will definitely visit this before I die of stress from work.

Happy Valentines, Duke! :); 2/14/2006 02:41:00 AM
Anonymous said...: Remember I'm still alive. Follow this link.; 2/14/2006 09:56:00 AM
dreaming-neko said...: hey there! happy valentines day! :); 2/15/2006 10:08:00 AM
Anonymous said...: Daniel and expat traveler Thank you! I'm glad you guys like it.

Doc E If you have the chance to take a break from your busy sked, try going to Istanbul for some relaxation. It's a whole new world!

K ahh finally! nagparamdam.. I thought you were gone...

neko hiya back! hope you had a good Vday!; 2/16/2006 09:20:00 AM
JO said...: hi duke,

its soooooo pretty!!! i hope i can go there one day...; 2/17/2006 04:23:00 AM
Sidney said...: Nice pictures from Topkapi. I visited Istanbul a few times. It is a city with a lot of nice buildings and a long history. People are generally very friendly but I don't think Istanbul would be my dream city.
Anyway it is nice to hear that you enjoy your stay there. I like how you document your life in Istanbul and the inside information you give us. Information you don't get as a short time tourist.; 2/19/2006 11:42:00 AM

Confessions of an Expat's Wife

February 11, 2006

Topkapi Palace

14 Comments:

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