Topkapı Palace

For the 1964 movie, see Topkapi (film). The Topkapı Palace (Topkapı Sarayı in Turkish) was the official and primary Istanbul residence of the Ottoman Sultans from 1465 to 1853. The palace was a setting for state occasion and royal entertainment, and is a major tourist attraction. The name translated from Turkish literally means the "Cannongate Palace", named after a nearby gate. Initial construction started in 1459, ordered by Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Byzantine Constantinople. The palace is a complex of a conglomeration of four main courtyards and many smaller buildings. At the height of its existence up to 4,000 people resided in the palace.
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