On November 22, at 10.30 am, we plan to meet at the Sultan Ahmet stop of the Hızlı Tramvay and walk to the entrance of the Topkapı Sarayı. Please bring your Müzekart! The museum is very rich, and the visit of about three and a half to four hours’ duration, cannot possibly show everything on offer.
We begin with the museum of Aya Irini (1), located right next to the gate of the First Courtyard (Bab-ı Humayun). It will depend on the price charged whether we enter the building or not. While the Müzekart is not valid for this particular monument, I do hope that the price is not too steep, for it is a unique opportunity to see the sarcophagi of certain emperors, all of red porphyry. In the absence of any decoration, whether Byzantine or Ottoman, it is easy to appreciate the monumental architecture. The courtyard (atrium) is memorable too. I can only hope that the weather cooperates.
After purchasing our tickets and passing through the controls, we will enter the Second Courtyard. Turning to the right, we will visit the kitchens (2), remarkable (among other things) for the Chinese porcelain and Ottoman luxury faience exhibited there. We then cross the Second Courtyard for a visit to the chambers in which the sultans’ divan assembled (3) and following the footsteps of many Ottoman officials and foreign ambassadors, we enter the arz odası or throne room (4), continuing our walk with a visit to the library built for Ahmed III (r. 1703-30). I hope that it is open (4a) and we can admire the unique elegance of this space.
We are now in the Third Courtyard from where (if lucky), we will have access to the Treasury and the beautiful loggia built for Mehmed the Conqueror, from which you can see both the Sea of Marmara and the Bosporus (5). In one of the galleries adjacent to the Third Courtyard the textiles collection of the Palace used to be on show – I hope that is still the case and if so, we will visit it (5a). We then cross the Third Courtyard to see the terrace that gives access to the Circumcision Chamber (6), built under Sultan Ibrahim (r. 1640-48) and noted for its exquisite 16th and 17th century tiles, which probably came from buildings that are no longer extant or which for some other reason, had ended up in the palace storerooms. The other pavilions (Revan Köşkü and Bağdat Köşkü) commemorate the victories of Murad IV (r. 1623-40), the royal companion of Evliya Çelebi (1611-about 1687) during his adolescence (7 and 8).
By the time we have visited this handsome space, we will be ready to leave the palace, for I think that we will be thirsty and ready for tea! See you all on the 22nd, hopefully.
