Administrative center of the Ottoman Empire, Topkapi Palace was also its hub of art and culture.
Topkapi Palace was not only the home of the sultans but also the empire’s administrative center and the seat of its legislative, judicial and executive functions. At the same time it was also an academy of fine arts where artists plied their trade, and a conservatory where the arts of music and dance were taught and performances and concerts organized.
This miniature city which housed thousands of people suffered numerous fires and earthquakes over time, and its damaged structures were repaired and restored. Displayed in the palace were the porcelains, jewels, carpets, inscriptions, paintings, miniatures and even weapons, each one a work of art, received by the sultans as gifts or brought back as spoils of military conquests.
EUROPEAN WITNESSES OF OTTOMAN SPLENDOR
After Fatih Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror took Istanbul, a palace was constructed on the spot where the central building of Istanbul University stands today.