Topkapi Palace of Istanbul – Inside and Out
topkapi palace in Istanbul
As a school-going child, many of us may have visited a number of historical places and museums apart from the local parks and the zoos for children. As a kid, one learns not just about the life but also about the whole history of the place visited by him. Moreover, the excitement of any such visit especially during the school days is unmatched for.
The best thing about visiting any historical or famous place during a school trip is that you see everything through the colorful imagination of a child which we as adults may find missing as we grow. What is most wonderful about visiting any place during childhood is that as you grow, you carry the picturesque and intricate memories of the place within yourself. I think this is really unforgettable experience for the whole of our lives.
While talking about the famous places to visit, the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul comes on top of the list. As soon as you hear the name of the palace, you are reminded of the oriental mystery of the palace. You start thinking about various sultans, power, empires, revolts and things like that. So, one thing is for certain. The beauty of this palace makes it a place not worth missing by any tourist.
Not just any tourist, the best thing about Topkapi Palace is that every time you visit this palace, you will be able to explore many new things that might have been missed by you in your earlier visits. If you have visited the Hampton Court Palace in West London, you will find some striking similarities between the two palaces, namely the Hampton Palace near Richmond in London and the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.
Especially the fireplaces as well as the kitchen complexes in the harems of the Topkapi Palace are quite similar to those in the Hampton Court Palace. This can be attributed probably to the fact that despite a difference of nearly 50 years in the time of origin of these two palaces, Topkapi Palace was rebuilt during the 16th century after it was devastated by an earthquake.
As one visits Topkapi Palace, one is reminded of the same excitement experienced during a visit to a famous historical place. You are filled with an imagination of the whole life of the yesteryears and this imagination is quite picturesque. Topkapi Palace is indeed an architectural masterpiece waiting to be visited and explored by a visitor.
This grandeur of the sultans begins at the imperial gate and ends at the golden path. While walking through the vast empire, you witness the slow decline of the empire as you step forward. You can browse through the information on architecture in the picturesque stories that take you to the very times of the ancient historical era to which this palace belongs.
You will come across a family tree of the sultans of the Ottoman period and a brief chronological description about the Ottoman Empire together with a short glossary that is a recent addition. In addition, you will also find few sections entirely dedicated to Royal Pages of the Imperial Harem, Women and Eunuchs. Also, there is an interesting section of questions and answers to invite interest of the older children in the palace.
So, take a trip to the historical Topkapi Palace to discover the various elements of this palace including the ones that you might have missed in your earlier visit to this place.