TURKEY'S MAGICAL HIDEAWAYS
May 22 - June 7, 2009
Page Three
Istanbul
View from the restaurant of our hotel, the Sultan Ahmet Sarayi Hotel, which is located across from
the Blue Mosque and in walking distance from Hagia Sophia, the Cistern, and Topkapi Palace.
The Blue Mosque from Sultanahmet Square on the way to Topkapi Palace. Note street cleaner on this
walkway. We saw street cleaners frequently. We were all impressed with how clean Turkey is.
The Tower of Justice at Topkapi Palace. The tower is several stories high
and the tallest structure in the palace,
making it clearly visible from the Bosphorus as a landmark.
The tower was probably originally constructed under Ottomon Sultan Mehmed II and then renovated and enlargened
by Suleiman I between 1527-1529.
The tower symbolizes the eternal vigilance of the sultan against injustice.
Everyone from afar was supposed to be able
to see the tower to feel assured about the sultan's presence.
Topkapi Palace was home
to all the Ottoman sultans
until the reign of Abdulmecid I (1839-1860), a period of nearly four centuries.
The order for the construction of the Topkapi Palace
on Seraglio Point overlooking both Marmara and Bosphorus
was given by Mehmed II after the conquest of Constantinople in 1453.
The Imperial Council building is the chamber in which the ministers of state, council ministers, and other leading
officials of the
Ottoman state, held meetings. Numerous
treasures are now stored at the Palace museum,
including an 86 carat diamond, jewel covered Korans,
artifacts of the prophet Muhammed,
such as his sword,
robes, footprint, beard, etc.
Inside the Imperial Council building
Part of the ceiling in the Imperial Council building. Just about every inch of the walls in the Palace is decorated.
Cat outside the Imperial Council. We saw cats and sometimes
dogs at every tourist spot. They always looked healthy
even though they must be wild. Probably taken care of by the staff.
School kids on a field trip to Topkapi Palace Museum
Library at Topkapi Palace
Pat and Heather in front of the library
Look at the intricate detail on the walls of the Palace and the calligraphy
Topkapi Palace is a large area. Here is one of the many beautiful buildings in the complex.
Exterior corridor in the Topkapi Palace complex
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