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The Topkapı Palace, with its opulent courts and lush gardens, encapsulates the zenith of the Ottoman Empire's wealth and power. Constructed upon the order of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror in 1459, it served as the heart of the empire for nearly four centuries.
This architectural marvel, now a museum, offers a glimpse into the lives of the sultans with its rich collection of manuscripts, imperial treasures, and intriguing relics of the court, including the famous Harem where the Sultan's family resided.
It's like the Forbidden City for Sultans. This is the main entrance, the park has always been open to the public but there are four layers of courtyards on the palace grounds that had different levels of permission with the innermost being only for the sultan and his family.
After this, most of the buildings didn't allow photography inside. This one was home to many holy relics, including a bunch of pieces of the Prophet's beard as well as items such as (apparently) Moses' staff.
As medievalists, we are a bit skeptical about that, but we kept our skepticism to ourselves because it seemed rude to denounce it then and there. But while we can certainly believe that things from the 7th century CE could be real and preserved, 7th century BCE seems... harder to accept.