About Topkapi Palace Museum
Topkapi Palace was the administrative heart of the Ottoman Empire for nearly 400 years, home to the sultans and their court from the reign of Mehmed II (who built it after conquering Constantinople in 1453) until the 1850s. The palace complex covers 70 hectares on a promontory overlooking the confluence of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn.
Converted into a museum in 1924 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Topkapi is one of the most visited museums in the world, drawing around 3–4 million visitors annually. Its highlights include the Imperial Treasury (containing the Topkapi Dagger and the Spoonmaker's Diamond), the Harem — a labyrinthine complex of 300 rooms — and the sacred relics of the Prophet Muhammad.
Collections & Highlights
Frequently Asked Questions
A small ask before you go
You've just explored one of humanity's greatest collections of beauty. Art has the power to move us, inspire us, and change how we see the world. But millions of people will never see beauty like this — not because the art isn't there, but because they can't see at all.
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