Audio GuideTopkapi Palace Museum

Step into Topkapı Palace Museum, an extraordinary residence perched above the shimmering meeting point of the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara in Istanbul. Built in the middle of the fifteenth century by Sultan Mehmed, known as “the Conqueror”, this vast complex served as the thriving centre of the Ottoman Empire for more than four hundred years. Here, sultans shaped the destiny of a realm that spanned continents.

Fadoua Ghazou

Passing through the grand Imperial Gate, visitors are transported into a world of broad courtyards paved with stone, graceful pavilions, and gardens scented with roses and tulips. The palace reveals itself in layers: four expansive courtyards surrounded by a warren of private chambers. Every corner holds echoes of luxury and intrigue. The Harem was the secluded residence of the royal family, a private domain steeped in tradition and strict ritual. Matters of far-reaching importance were decided in the Imperial Council Chamber, where decisions transformed the map of Europe and beyond.

Kamuran Tastan

Topkapı’s architecture is a tapestry of styles, from Byzantine mosaics and domes to Ottoman arches, later enriched with touches of Baroque detail and European grandeur. Intricate tilework, gilded vaults, and coloured glass celebrate both the artistry of the East and the influence of the West.

Dejan Pajić

The palace houses a remarkable array of treasures—glittering jewels and ceremonial arms, exquisite miniatures, and sumptuous silk robes. Among its most famous exhibits are the Spoonmaker’s Diamond and the Topkapı Dagger, shining alongside golden thrones and revered relics. Calligraphy and illuminated manuscripts grace many rooms, while the palace library preserves rare works from throughout the empire.

Eugeniu Ceban

For centuries, Topkapı was far more than a royal residence; it was a city unto itself, full of chefs, craftsmen, guards, and attendants. Within its lush gardens and grand halls, ceremonies unfolded, festivals and solemn occasions took place, and history itself was written. When the last sultans moved to modern palaces along the Bosphorus in the nineteenth century, Topkapı became a museum, offering the world a glimpse into the rich legacy of a bygone civilisation—still alive in the quiet shade of its ancient arches.