calligraphy  topkapı palace  topkapı sarayı  ottoman history  ottoman miniatures  travel photography  unesco  istanbul  council chamber of ministry of state  enderun mektebi  imperial gate  sofa-i hümayun  ımperial council hall the second court  world heritage site  kufic calligraphy  the harem  enderun avlusu  parade grounds  first courtyard  inner palace the third courtyard  

Palaces of Istanbul and a view of Imperial Gate of Topkapı Palace in springtime, Eminönü Fatih District of Şehr-i Istanbul, Turkey (Turksih: İstanbul'un Sarayları ve, Topkapı Sarayı İmparator Kapısı'nın ilkbahar mevsiminde bir görüntüsü, Eminönü Fatih İlçesi Şehr-i İstanbul, Türkiye). The Topkapı Palace is among the monuments contained within the Historic Areas of Istanbul, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS) in 1985, and is described in Criterion iv as The Best Examples of Ensembles of Palaces in Ottoman Period. The palace includes many fine examples of Ottoman architecture. It contains large collections of porcelain, robes, weapons, shields, armor, Ottoman miniatures, Islamic calligraphic manuscripts and murals, as well as a display of Ottoman treasures and jewelry.

The Imperial Gate is the main entrance into the First Courtyard. The four courtyards lead to each other and during the Ottoman Empire, each became steadily more exclusive leading to the Fourth Courtyard, which was the sultan's private courtyard. The sections are Imperial Gate, First Courtyard (Parade Grounds, Turkish literally I. Avlu or Alay Meydanı), Second Courtyard (Council Square or Divan Square (Turkish literally II. Avlu or Divan Meydanı), Third Courtyard (Enderun Courtyard or Inner Palace, Turkish literally III. Avlu or Enderun Avlusu), Fourth Courtyard (Turkish literally Sofa-i Hümayun or IV. Avlu) and Harem. The Harem contains more than 300 rooms, nine hammams, two mosques, a hospital, dormitories, and a laundry. The complex as it exists today was shaped over the course of time, through numerous restorations and expansions. The Harem Apartments were where the Sultans lived together with their families. The Harem was initially established within the Second Courtyard and above the palaces back gardens and expanded greatly over the centuries.