The Topkapi Palace is a large museum in Istanbul, Turkey. In the15th century, it served as the main residence and administrativeheadquarters of the Ottoman sultans.
Construction began in 1459, ordered by Mehmed the Conqueror, six years after the conquest of Constantinople. Topkapı was originally called the “New Palace” to distinguish it from the Old Palace in Beyazıt Square. It was given the name Topkapı, meaning Cannon Gate, in the 19th century. The complex was expanded over the centuries, with major renovations after the 1509 earthquake and the 1665 fire. The palace complex consists of four main courtyards and many smaller buildings. Female members of the Sultan’s family lived in the harem, and leading state officials, including the Grand vizier, held meetings in the Imperial Council building.
After the 17thcentury, Topkapi gradually lost its importance. The sultans of thatperiod preferred to spend more time in their new palaces along theBosphorus. In 1856, Sultan Abdulmejid I decided to move the court tothe newly built Dolmabahçe Palace. Topkapi retained some of itsfunctions including the imperial treasury, library and mint.
Following the end ofthe Ottoman Empire in 1923, Topkapi was transformed into a museum bya government decree dated April 3, 1924.
The State Visits - World Heritage Site 
2 gedachtes over “Topkapi Palace”