Audio GuideTopkapi Palace Museum

Step inside Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi, a palace that rises above the sparkling waters where the Bosphorus meets the Sea of Marmara in Istanbul. Built in the mid-fifteenth century by Sultan Mehmed, known as "the Conqueror," this sprawling complex was the beating heart of the Ottoman Empire for more than four centuries. Here, sultans charted the course of an empire that stretched across continents.

Fadoua Ghazou

From the grand Imperial Gate, visitors enter a world of stone courtyards, graceful pavilions, and lush gardens scented with roses and tulips. The palace unfolds in layers: four main courtyards and a maze of intimate chambers. Each space whispers stories of splendor and intrigue. The Harem was the guarded home of the royal family, a hidden realm of tradition and ceremony. The Imperial Council Chamber witnessed decisions that changed the map of Europe and beyond.

Kamuran Tastan

Topkapı’s architecture blends styles from Byzantine mosaics and domes to Ottoman arches, later adorned with touches of Baroque and European elegance. The brilliant tilework, gilded ceilings, and stained glass reflect both Eastern artistry and European influence.

Dejan Pajić

Treasures abound—jewels and armor, delicate miniatures, and silk kaftans. The famed Spoonmaker’s Diamond and Topkapı Dagger can be seen among golden thrones and sacred relics. Many rooms display calligraphy and illuminated manuscripts, while the palace library holds rare volumes from every corner of the empire.

Eugeniu Ceban

Over the centuries, Topkapı was more than a royal home; it was a city within a city, bustling with chefs, artists, guards, and servants. Ceremonies, battles, and festivities played out in its gardens and halls. After the last sultans moved to modern palaces along the Bosphorus in the nineteenth century, Topkapı became a living museum, welcoming the world to discover the heritage of a vast civilization, still echoing under its ancient arches.