Stories from Topkapı Palace
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Why the Sultans Left Topkapı for Dolmabahçe Palace
After almost four centuries, the Ottoman court abandoned Topkapı in 1856 for the European-style Dolmabahçe Palace. The reasons behind the great move, and what stayed behind.
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The Valide Sultan: The Queen Mother Who Ruled the Harem
The valide sultan — the Ottoman queen mother — was the most powerful woman in the empire. Her office, her income, her apartments and her regencies at Topkapı.
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The Black Eunuchs of the Ottoman Court at Topkapı
Who the black eunuchs of Topkapı were, how the Chief Black Eunuch became one of the empire's most powerful men, and where they lived inside the Harem.
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The Imperial Council: How the Ottomans Governed from the Divan
The Imperial Council, or Divan, ran the Ottoman Empire from a domed hall in Topkapı's Second Court — its viziers, its rituals, and the sultan's hidden grille.
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The Imperial Treasury: The Spoonmaker's Diamond & the Topkapı Dagger
Inside Topkapı's Imperial Treasury: the 86-carat Spoonmaker's Diamond, the emerald-studded Topkapı Dagger, and the golden thrones of the Ottoman sultans.
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Mehmed the Conqueror & the Founding of Topkapı Palace
Why Mehmed II built Topkapı on the ancient acropolis of Byzantium, how his new palace projected imperial power, and what of his design still stands today.
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A Day in the Life of an Ottoman Sultan at Topkapı
From dawn prayer in the Privy Chamber to the silence of the night Harem: how an Ottoman sultan's day unfolded inside Topkapı Palace, hour by hour.
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20 Fascinating Facts About Topkapı Palace
From the Golden Cage to a diamond swapped for three spoons, discover 20 surprising facts about Topkapı Palace, seat of Ottoman sultans for four centuries.
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What Does 'Topkapı' Mean? The Name and How to Pronounce It
Topkapı means 'Cannon Gate' in Turkish. Discover how the name moved from a seaside gate to the whole palace, plus a simple guide to saying it properly.
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Hürrem Sultan & the Women Who Ran the Topkapı Harem
How Hürrem Sultan rose from slavery to empress, the jewels tradition links to her name, and the women who ruled the Topkapı Harem for a century.