A view of the Bosphorus from Topkapi Palace

View out to one of the older buildings of the complex

There is a café in the grounds of the Topkapi Palace, overlooking the Bosporous (not pictured). I had a cake fit for a Sultan.

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Istanbul, Turkey

Gazebo overlooking the Golden Horn

2025 May - Topkapi Palace - Istanbul, Turkey

Walking beside the palace kitchens.

Social gathering place of Ottomans in the 18th century in front of the Imperial Gate in Topkapi Palace, built on promontory overlooking the Golden Horn & Bosphorous

Topkapi Palace - Istanbul, Turkey

Summer Pavilion, also called the Circumcision Room, built in 1640

In the Harem

The word Harem is usually associated with the area where a sultan's enslaved wives lived. In reality it was a lot more than that. Essentially, it was the sultan's private quarters. To me this visit was one of the highlights of the palace.

The Topkapı Palace, or the Seraglio, is a large museum in Istanbul, Turkey. In the 15th century, it was the main residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans