Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

Following the 90 min or so visit to the Spice Market (where I did not purchase anything), we got back on the bus for the Topkapi Palace and Museums. It was raining on and off by then; I was glad that my flimsy disposable raincoat held up although the bottom of my jeans and shoes were wet. In the bus, our tour manager gave us a short history of the Palace, its significance during the Ottomon Empire and what we could expect to see there.

The Palace, declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985, was constructed in the 15th century. It was expanded over several hundred years, and renovated after fires and earthquakes. The grounds comprised of multiple linked as well as separate buildings, including the Palace kitchens, the Audience Chamber, the Imperial Treasury, the Sacred Relics Chamber, the Library of Sultan Ahmed III, the Harem where the Sultan's mother, his wives and concubines lived. The treasures and relics in the museums were mind boggling. It was impossible to visit all the buildings in just a couple of hours. Plus the long lines of visitors, despite the weather, made it difficult to linger in front of the museum cases. I took a lot of photos.

The photos below were from the Library of Sultan Ahmed III.

And, these are some of the treasures in the Museum, including the Spoonmaker diamond.

Here are some items from the Sacred Relics Museum, including fragments of the hand of John the Baptist and the case for the sandals of the Prophet Muhammed.

The tiles inside some of these chambers were just amazing. Here are some close up photos that I will post on my Pinterest board on tiles.

This is a place that one would take at least half a day (and a lot of energy) to explore. I could have spent more time in the Museum, and I missed the building with miniatures and portraits. Also, I did not have time to visit the Harem which I heard, have beautiful tiles inside. Maybe next time, if I ever return to Istanbul ...