Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

else, including the grand vizier, had to dismount. Scale models just inside the gate give a good sense of the palace’s layout and sheer size. Like the First Court, the Second Court has an attractive park-like setting. Unlike typical European palaces, which feature one large building with outlying gardens, Topkapı is a series of pavilions, kitchens, barracks, audience chambers, kiosks and sleeping quarters built around a central enclosure. The great Palace Kitchens on the right (east) as you enter have finally reopened following years of restoration. The ornate contents of the palace cupboards are on display, ranging from poreclain perfume bottles to a gold plated copper jug owned by Tiryâl, one of Mahmut II’s many consorts. Also here is a small portion of Topkapı’s vast collection of Chinese celadon porcelain, valued by the sultans for its beauty but also because it was reputed to change colour if touched by poisoned food. On the left (west) side of the Second Court is the ornate Imperial Council Chamber (Dîvân-ı Hümâyûn). The council met here to discuss matters of state, and the sultan sometimes eavesdropped through the gold grille high in the wall. The room to the right showcases clocks from the palace collection. North of the Imperial Council Chamber is the Outer Treasury , where an impressive collection of Ottoman and European arms and armour is displayed, including a 14th-century Hungarian sword fit for a giant.