Topkapı Palace used to be a secret gem long before Istanbul has been ‘discovered’ by mass tourism and the city was not as popular as it is today. Istanbul used to have a distant feel especially to European and American tourists unlike today where Istanbul is a hype destination for tourists from all walks of life and from across the globe.
I recall times when I was one of the few tourists and locals wondering around the gardens and pavilions of Topkapı Palace. Now, there are incredibly long line-ups in front of the palace along with masses racing to see one of the last resting places of Ottoman Sultans. As a person who dislikes crowds, I always prefer more quiet moments to visit popular historical sites in the city.
I have recently learnt that Topkapı Palace will be available for visit on Saturday evenings from 21:00 to 23:00 which I think is a wonderful idea as it will enable one to see this magical palace without the summer heat and hopefully without the crowds.
Topkapı Palace has been the palace for the sultans, their families and the high ranking officials for over 400 years after Ottomans conquered Constantinopolis in 1453 and made it their home. The Palace has recently been beautifully restored so one has a chance to see sections such as the kitchens, the private chambers of the concubines and treasury one could not see before.
Topkapı Palace might look too humble to a western eye as it has more of a human scale and a sense of simplicity compared to western palaces that dominate you with their grandeur. Historians explain this with Turks’ emphasis on being a military nation and building the Topkapı Palace with the mentality of building military barracks. I personally enjoy the simple elegance of its architecture and tranquility of its gardens. In a city that has lost most of its greenery to urban development and insatiable capitalism, Topkapı Palace is an oasis that is a reminder of the world before us with its elegance and tranquility. It is also built in one of the most beautiful districts of the city which was once the heart of Constantinople. Fatih Sultan Mehmet conquering Constantinople with the fantasy of being the heir to the Roman Empire must have chosen this location as a symbol of his power and his claim to the Roman heritage.
Consider spending an evening in the Palace and be one of the first visitors to see it by night and imagine that this was once a home to a dynastic family that ruled this part of the world for over 600 years with their triumphs and defeats, joys and sorrows. A dynasty associated with triumphs as well as intrigues, it is worth to pay their home a visit and to recall their names with respect.
Especially try to imagine what it must have felt like for royal women of the harem to lead a secluded life within the walls of the harem, a life radically different from ours where we are the masters of the world on equal grounds with men.
Visit the Topkapı Museum website at https://www.millisaraylar.gov.tr/Lokasyon/2/topkapi-sarayi
