The palaces of Topkapi and Dolmabahce [antikvár]

TOPKAPI PALACE Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, with the conquest of the then Constantinople, simultaneously closed and opened two ages. Now the capital of the Ottomans was to be Istanbul, and the Sultan was to build his palace here for the administration of the Empire. The first palace of the sultans was built in the district of Beyazit (Old Palace). In 1465, however, Mehmet the Conqueror ordered the construction of a new palace on today's Palace Point, then an olive grove. From that year until 1478 the first buildings were therefore constructed, and the administration of the Ottoman Empire began from the Topkapi Palace. The new palace was surrounded by fortifications giving security to the whole area. Starting with the Conqueror's small palace, each succeeding sultan added additional pavilions and palaces, spreading finally to a total area of 700.000 meters square. According to the traveller Eviiya Qelebi, in the year 1640 the population of the palace reached 40.000, as if it were a city or small state of itself. The palace, which was used for fourcenturies, was named the 'Cannon Gate' palace by the people out of respect for the cannons which gave protection to the gates and the grounds within. The palace walls extend a total of five kilometers, with multiple towers, surrounding the land as well as sea side of the palace. In addition to many small gates, six major gates, three on the sea and three on the land, give access to the grounds. The main gate, called the «Empire Gate», dates back to the period of the Conqueror. It is also called the First Gate today. The second gate, called the «Peace Gate», marked the point from which the sultanate actually began. Today, this gate is the formal entrance to the Topkapi Museum. The gate has towers on either side. It Is known that some of the Ottoman ministers of the court were imprisoned here before sentencing. Through this gate we enter a 22 acre open court yard where holiday celebrations were observed, and where the sultan, but only the sultan himself, was always mounted on horseback. At the far end of this court stands the third gate, the Gate of Felicity, in which the sultan's throne was placed on ocassions of the enthron-ment of a new sultan, on religious holidays, and days of public audience when complaints and grievances were heard. From the Gate of Felicity we enter the third open court. In this, and the fourth court furthur on, are located the pavilions and kiosks In which the sultans attended to daily business tasks, retiring to the Harem in the evening. For four centuries the affairs of the Empire were directed from here, until the move of the court to the Dolmabahpe Palace In 1856. Let us now try to summarize in a brief visit the history of this great palace, whose every corner emits an air of endless, unrecordable history in itself. TOUR OF THE TOPKAPI PALACE Where today we park our car, taxi or bus, was located the first open court after entering the outer grounds through the First Gate, along side the museum of St. Sophia. In early times this court contained several buildings belonging to the service of the palace. The gate In front of which we now stand, stands like a medieval castle before us. The double towered gate's cast iron doors were made in 1525 by Gayb bin Mehmet. The rooms beneath the towers housed the gatekeepers, as well as ocasslonal imprisoned ministers. This point today marks the formal entrance to the palace as a museum. From this gate we enter the Second Court, measuring 160 by 130 meters on a side. On the left of the court stands the Harem, the apartments of the councils of state and state receptions, military offices and the Inner Treasury. On the right side stand the palace kitchens, built by the Conqueror, and re-constructed by the Great Architect SInan,