Istanbul Day 3: Topkapi Palace

Amazing! It drizzled on and off all day today - I wouldn't call it rain- and was a bit cooler. Nice to know that Turkey isn't perpetually warm and sunny.

Topkapi palace, the home of so many of the sultans and their entourages, was the main aim today.  The gates and some areas inside the walled enclave are guarded by rather bored looking soldiers who look rather pleased when asked to pose with tourists for photos. 

Inside, the gate, and once you have entered the ticketed area, you have to be prepared for queues in some areas like the Harem and the Treasury, more tour groups and some shoving from rude people in the popular exhibits, but you also get the advantage of having great views over the water, and I discovered the areas that interested me most had less people in them.

Once inside the Imperial Gate, you wander through treed and rose lined gardens towards the Middle gate.  On the way, you pass traditionally garbed actors who wave pseudo-enthusiastically as you pass and pose for photos, presumably to tempt you into one of the museum shops.

Then, you wander through more gardens towards the Gate of Felicity and the Audience chamber beyond, which was used for state ceremonies.

Just past that, there is a very long queue to get into the Imperial Treasury, which has a small collection of super dooper jewels and the famous Topkapi dagger, amongst other treasures.  I found other areas which had much less interest from the public more interesting, but other people were pretty enthralled by the collection.  Once through the treasury room, there is a balcony which gives great views across the Bosphorous and the Sea of Marbara, which is why, presumably, this site on the promontory was chosen.

You can wander down to the Mecidiye Kiosk area to take advantage of more great views, then wind through the gardens

 to visit the Library of Ahmet III, the kiosk of Mustafa Pasha, The Revan Kiosk, the Baghdad kiosk, the Circumcision Room, the Marble Terrace

and the Viewing Pavilion

all of which vary in styles and influences.  However, all prepare you for the sheer opulence of the life of the sultans and the amazing profusion of and quality of the craftsmanship they could demand.

 My favourite areas were in the family areas of the Palace, the harem.

  I love the quality and the variety of the tilework there.

 I noticed, however, that the men seem to be entranced by the Outer Treasury and the Arms and Armour area with its display of weapons.  

Another favourite area for me were the enormous palace kitchens with their huge chimneys. 

I found the quantities of food that needed to be prepared each day for the 4000 inhabitants each day, and the extra logistics of having to cater for up to 50,000 odd guests on special occasions, the sourcing of foodstuffs  and serving utensils from all over the world, absolutely fascinating.

 there is much more to the Topkapi palace than I have described.  I think you need more than one visit to really appreciate it.  At first, I was a little disappointed in some aspects of the Palace compared to the Alhambra and El Generife in Spain, which seem more elegant and use water features so well, but other aspects lived up to expectations.