Topkapı Palace

Ottoman Empire · Istanbul · palace · history

Massive royal home. Topkapı Palace was where Ottoman sultans lived and ruled from the 1460s until 1853, making it one of the longest-occupied palaces in the world.

Located in Istanbul. The palace sits in the Fatih district on the eastern side of Istanbul, Turkey, right at the center of the Ottoman Empire's power.

Now a museum. Today, Topkapı Palace is a big museum and library where visitors can walk through the rooms and see treasures from Ottoman times.

Replaced by another palace. When the Ottoman rulers wanted something newer and fancier, they built Dolmabahçe Palace and completed it in 1853, ending Topkapı's time as the main royal residence.