Individual tour 'Topkapi Palace + Harem'

What to expect

Topkapi Palace outside and inside
We will meet on the hill where Constantinople began, so we will immediately travel back to the times of the city's foundation and briefly trace its path through three empires — Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman. Bypassing the line for tickets, we will enter the territory of the Topkapi Palace. You will see:

• The Sultan's council meeting hall (divan). Here you will understand what the 'Golden Cage' is and how this system helped the sultans govern the state;
• A collection of clocks gifted to sultans in different centuries, including the Faberge onyx clocks presented to Abdul Hamid II, the last absolute ruler of the Ottoman Empire;
• The Armoury Chamber, where you will examine swords, sabers, maces, daggers, and armor. We will focus on samples adorned with precious stones and talk about the Janissaries - Ottoman infantry;
• The kitchen with the tableware and cutlery of the last sultans;
• Summer pavilions, library, sultan's reception room, and his golden throne — everywhere you will study the details of decoration;
• Sacred relics: the staff of Moses, the stone with the footprint of the Prophet Muhammad, and a part of the relics of John the Baptist;
• Harem: finally, you will visit the part of the castle that intrigues the most. I will explain how the sultan's harem was organized, dispel myths, show the eunuchs' dormitory, and the rooms of the empire's heirs.

About the complicated history — easily and interestingly
As you stroll through the Topkapi grounds, you will understand the past of the Ottoman Empire, which was ruled by 36 sultans over 600 years. We will pay special attention to Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople, and Suleiman the Magnificent, under whom the Ottoman Porte reached its peak. You will learn about the political structure of the Ottoman Empire and the domestic life of the sultans. And fans of the TV series 'Magnificent Century' will be curious to compare the movie with reality.