Sunday morning at the Topkapi palace

We slept like logs after our big travel day and by 8am Sunday morning had showered and breakfasted and were ready to hit the streets.

Our hotel is in a great spot, walking distance to all the important sites of Old Istanbul and our room has a sea view out into the Bosphorous straits.

First stop was the hippodrome for some early morning photos. The hippodrome is basically a park with monuments. And when I say monuments I mean monuments.

Take this one for example, constructed in the 10th century. Hard to imagine that some countries would let it stay standing - it looks like such a hazard.

And then be impressed that this one that is six hundred years older is in so much better nick.

By 9am we were lined up ready to get into Topkapi palace which looks straight up the straits of Bosphorous. What a place.

We spent three hours there and Ali (that’s Ali Pasha of hat wearing fame first mentioned in the previous post) took 300 photos!

Quite apart from the function that various places served within the palace was the hierarchy and relationship of the people within it.

For those up for a simple quiz - match each of the numbered photos below with one of these names;

• The sultans reception room,
• The gate of felicity (also called the gate of the white eunuchs because they guarded entrance to the harem here)
• The circumcision room
• The audience chamber
• The kitchens
• The harem chamber
• The gate of salutations

Answers for those not so inclined at the bottom of the post.


Photo 1

Photo 2

Photo 3

Photo 4

Photo 5

Photo 6

Photo 7

Quite apart from the buildings themselves was the detail in every door, window, light shaft, ceiling……

Photo 1 The circumcision room

Photo 2 Sultans reception room

Photo 3 Audience chamber

Photo 4 The gate of salutations

Photo 5 The harem chamber

Photo 6 The kitchens

Photo 7 Gate of the white Eunuchs