Topkapi Palace

We were really looking forward to our visit to Topkapi Palace, home to the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire, but sadly the weather was lousy – overcast, very cold, a biting wind, and dollops of rain.  Despite it being off season and such a bad day there were still hundreds & hundreds of people traipsing through.  Of the 800,000 sq ft of the Palace, only 10% is open to the public. Of the 10% they let you see, you are not allowed to take photos 90% of the time, so with bad light conditions, droves of people and serious limitations, it was disappointingly difficult to get any decent photos. The Costume Room containing a huge range of delicately hand embroidered outfits worn by Sultans was intriguing.  The Palace Treasury was a highlight, with its fantastic collection of jewel encrusted gifts to the Sultans and spoils of war, which were a spectacle to behold.  In particular, the 86 carat diamond pendant and 100kg gold candlesticks embedded with diamonds, emeralds, rubies and pearls make Lotto first division look like coins in the fountain.  The Harem which was home to 300 – 400 concubines at a time, and the sleeping quarters of the Sultans, is the most highly decorated part of the Palace, with exquisite mosaics and lavish gold decorations.  Linz enjoyed the Sacred Relics Section sporting the rod of Moses, clippings from Mohammed’s beard, and a plaster cast of Mohammed’s foot (if you can believe that). Here are our only views worth sharing …

Off we go through entrance to the Palace	Back view to the Bosphorus Strait	It’s simple lady …. you shoot the photos, we shoot you

    Even the outdoor taps are palatial