The Topkapi palace has been one of the highlights of all of we’ve seen so far.
As the main palace for the great Sultans of the Ottoman Empire, plus their wives, concubines, and eunuch guarded harems. It took us most of a day to walk through the enormous complex, with its opulent buildings and rooms made of precious metals, tiles and inlaid wood and mother of pearl. The level of grandeur of the buildings is incredible and the buildings went on and on and on.
The Topkapi palace was started by Mehmet the Conqueror shortly after the conquest in 1453. It was occupied by the subsequent Sultans until the last one left in 1839.
Our favorite part of the Palace was the harem which was in reality the imperial family quarters and every detail of harem life was governed by tradition, obligation and ceremony. The whole complex structure of life in the harem was fascinating and we couldn't help but imagine how the girls must have worked to be the favorite of the sultans and tried to bare the male heirs that would succeed the throne and give their family opportunities forever. The infighting and catty behavior between the women must have been legendary.
We strongly recommend you see the Topkapi Palace. For the over-the-top opulence of the buildings alone it is a must see.
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