Topkapi Palace

The construction of Topkapı Palace, which is at the top of the list of places to be seen in Istanbul, was lunched in1478 by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror who took the city in 1453. Located where the oldest acropolis in Istanbul originally stood., the palace grew gradually by new buildings added by various sultans. It served as the seat of imperial rule and the official residence of Ottoman sultans for 380 years until Sultan Abdulmecit relocated the centre of adminstration to the newly built Dolmabahçe Palace. Following the proclamation of the republic, Topkapı Palace was placed under the administration of the Museum of Ancient Buildings upon the instructions of Atatürk in 1924. Through this instruction it was openede to public visit.Through continuous restoration more pavilions have been opened to public acces in the museum.With the Holy Islamic Relics displayed in a renovated pavilion, with its unmatched jewellery, weaponry, books, manuscript and garment collections it is the most frequently visited museum of Istanbul.