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of the Ottoman sultans for
nearly 400 years, Topkapi
Sarayi ("Palace
of the Cannon Gate") was the seraglio, the
heart of the vast Ottoman
Empire, ruled by the monarch
who lived in Topkapi's hundreds
of rooms with hundreds of concubines,
children, and white and black servants.
The domes of Topkapi's
Harem dominate
the Golden
Horn.
Because Topkapi
is No. 1 on everyone's
list of Istanbul
sights, get there when it
opens (usually 9 am; closed
Tuesday) and go straight to the Harem,
which can only be seen by guided
tour, and the tours fill up early.
After
the Harem tour you can stroll the
palace's spacious grounds and four
courtyards at your leisure.
Don't
miss the Treasury in the 3rd
courtyard, with its incredible gems,
gold, and works of art.
Topkapi as seen from the Bosphorus.
(For
a bittersweet romantic scene that
actually happened at Topkapi, see
my Bright
Sun, Strong Tea excerpt entitled "Tears
at Topkapi.")
When
you're done at Topkapi, head for Ayasofya (Hagia
Sophia), right next door,
and the Blue
Mosque, next door to Ayasofya
on the Byzantine Hippodrome.
Next
Top Sight: Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia)
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