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..:: TOPKAPI PALACE | REPUBLIC OF TURKEY MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND TOURISM ::..
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IV. COURTYARD / IMPERIAL SOFA (SOFA-İ HÜMAYUN)


Private Room’s (Has Oda) villa with two rows of columns called as Imperial Council Hall (Divanyeri) links to the terrace called as “Imperial Sofa” or “Marble Sofa”. Terrace had been widened towards Haliç in the first half of the 17th Century during Sultan Murad IV. and Sultan İbrahim era (1623-40;1640-48) and obtained its contemporary look today. There is a large pool with water ejector before the marble pavilion. On the terrace, in addition to Revan (A Place) Pavilion, there is a pavilion facing the view on Haliç side called as Circumcision Room (Sünnet Odası) as well as Baghdad Pavilion that Murad IV. made built and an arbor called as Evening Meal of Ramadan (İftariye) Pavilion or “Moonplace (Mehtaplık)” that was built during Sultan İbrahim era. One end of the L-shaped wide pavilion leads to Sultan’s Private Room (Has Oda) and Middle Stone Courtyard (Mabeyn Taşlığı) where pavilions are located.

Imperial Sofa flower garden that is located on the other side where Revan Pavilion is can be visited through stairs

Circumcision Room


It is located in the part of Imperial Sofa that faces Haliç. Even thought the exact date of construction of the pavilion, it has been considered built most probably during the first half of 16th century in Sultan Süleyman era. Later on, it went through some modifications and took its contemporary shape during Sultan İbrahim I era. The pavilion was called later as Circumcision Room.

This room was used during the circumcision of the princes of Ahmed III. and therefore the pavilion was called as Circumcision Room. It is open to visits.

Revan Pavilion (Revan Köşkü )


The köşk that was built for commemoration of conquest of Revan by Murad IV. was constructed on the terrace in an area that was obtained upon shrinking and reshaping of the pool that existed in Imperial Sofa since Mehmed II. Köşk has a octagonal shape and has three balconies.

The fact that Revan Pavilion is mentioned as “Turban Room (Sarık Odası)” in some of the Ottoman sources is related to the fact that the turbans that represented the Ottoman Sultan were safeguarded here by Cheesecloth Servant (Tülbent Gulamı). Also, Holy Relic Section (Hırka-i Saadet) and other sacred articles used to be transferred to Revan Pavilion during the cleaning of Private Room every year in Ramadan month.

Sultan Mahmud I. created an utmost valuable -predominantly history books- library in this köşk for those in Private Room. The library that was further enlarged by Osman III and Mustafa III had been returned to Palace Library Collection when the palace was transformed into museum. Köşk is open to visits.





Baghdad Pavilion (Bağdat Köşkü)


This construction which is one of the most beautiful köşks, not only among those in Imperial Sofa, but also among those of palace that survived today was built in 1693 to commemorate the conquest of Baghdad by Murad IV.

The köşk that was built for the memory of Baghdad victory was built on that place where a tower existed before at the end of terrace. In order to build the köşk, terrace required to be widened further towards Haliç direction. This köşk that has been one of the most successful, best protected examples was used as the library of Private Room along with Revan Pavilion starting from the mid- 18th century. The palace in the books in Baghdad Pavilion was turned over to Palace Library Collection. Pavilion is open to visits.

Evening Meal of Ramadan Pavilion / Evening Meal of Ramadan Pergola


It was built by Sultan İbrahim I in 1640 on the part of marble terrace between Circumcision Room and Baghdad Pavilion that was enlarged towards Haliç direction during Murad IV era. The special feature of this kameriye- shaped köşk is that it is made of copper and zinc alloy. It is covered by a dome that is carried by four columns. Kameriye is seperated from the marble with its projecting part, and is made facing the gardens below, the city, Haliç and Galata.

This kameriye is thought that the Sultan waited for the breaking of the Ramadan fast here during Ramadan Months. Therefore, it is supposed to be called as İftariye (the place where one breaks the Ramadan fast). Is is understood from the sources that the Sultan had been accepting the holiday congratulations of those from Enderun and watching the sport shows down in the festival ceremonies during the periods that overlapped with summer months.

Sofa Pavilion (Sofa Köşkü)


Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Paşa built the pavilion, which also has names such as Sofa Pavilion, Stairhead Pavilion, Mustafa Paşa Pavilion, built between 166-1683 during his viziership. This fact led the pavilion be called as Mustafa Paşa Pavilion. The pavilion that was restored during Ahmed III era was mentioned as “Sofa Pavilion” in pavilion’s inscription that dates to 1704. Pavilion has a trio plan design. The front design was changed after a large scale repair that was conducted in 1752 in Mahmud I era.

Pavilion, Sultan’s Private Room, had been used as private flat. For example, Mahmud I bestowed to those in Private Room coming to pavilion upon his ascendance ceremony to throne in 1730, Osman III listened music and watched teams competing with a ball on a rope. It is understood from the sources that Selim III had Lale/Çırağan entertainments that once were the symbol of Ahmed III era in this pavilion and its front gardens in 1795 and 1798 spring periods.




Hekimbaşı Kulesi (Tower of Chief Doctor) / Baş Lala Kulesi (Chief Servant Tower)


The infrastructure of this corner tower which is considered to be built during Fatih Sultan Mehmed era on the city walls that border the palace in this direction belongs to Byzantine.

It was used as a place where the hekimbaşı (chief doctors) prepared medicine and strength material for Sultan. Because hekimbaşı, who are outlined in Palace’s public sector organization, reported to Chief Servant from Private Room, it is also possible that the tower must have been called as Chief Servant Tower. The building that had been used for various purposes is closed to visits now.

Imperial Sofa Lower Gardens


It is surrounded by a marbe terrace that is also surrounded by a wall in front of Sultan’s flat called as Castlecover (Hisarpeçe) and a lower level garden of flowers on three other sides. The stone throne in the part of this garden that is below the Sofa Pavilion and marble terrace in which some sultans or converts played games such as cirit (javelin), shooting arrow and wrestling in front of Head of Doctors Tower is the place where the Sultans sat and watched these activities.

Various pavilions and buildings are located in this garden starting from the 15th century in the part that faces Marmara Sea and the scenery. In this part of garden, there used to be gates that provided passage to III. courtyard and big gardens of palace where the dormitories of convert existed. Today, Sofa Mosque that was built in 19th century and Grand (Mecidiye) Pavilion being built in 1859 by Sultan Abdülmecid and a connected small construction called as Dressing Room exist there. Before that, it is known that there used to be a pavilion which Fatih Sultan Mehmed made built and a construction called as Tent Pavilion (Çadır Köşk) over the gate that provided passage to lower gardens there. Sofa dormitory that is considered to be constructed in 18th century and belonged to employees who were in charge of cleaning Silahtarağa Pavilion, the third courtyard of Enderûn, and Imperial Sofa used to exist there. These structures could not survive until today, because they were destroyed since they were ruined during 19th century.

Sofa Mosque (Sofa Camii)


The presence of Sofa Mosque that was built by Mahmud II for use of dormitory people called as Sofa Dormitory, and before that, a small mosque that was built in 16th century for the same purpose is also known.

Grand (Mecidiye) Pavilion

It is the last sultan pavilion that was built in Topkapı Palace. The residence location of the Ottoman Dynasty during Sultan Adbülmecid was newly built Dolmabahçe Palace. It must have been built because he wanted to have a pavilion that was named after himself and where ascending-to-throne ceremonies would be held as it was being held similarly in Topkapı Palace during his ancestor’s times.

The pavilion and the room that was designed fitting to contemporary western architecture style added a mixed foreign eclecticism to traditional architecture understanding and texture of the Ottoman and palace and is in a great scale. Konyalı Restaurant in basement of pavilion that cannot be visited serves visitors in palace offering various food, sweets and sweetened fruit juice from Turkish cuisine.

Dressing (Esvab) Room

The idea that it was the room that was built in 1859, where Sultan’s visitors changed their clothes before being accepted by Sultan himself, or even Sultan changed his clothes for his Holy Relic Section visit is being put forward, because of the room’s name.

The buildings belonged to Sultan, the courtyard with the dormitory and school that belonged to convert, Sultan’s apartment, pavilions that are in Imperial Sofa and related lower gardens constitutes a part of Enderûn. The other part is Harem that constitutes a large complex in which the women and princes belonged to Sultan’s family lived.


 

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