GPS : 41°00'42.2"N 28°59'04.0"E / 41.011722, 28.984432
Second Courtyard
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Palace Kitchen can be entered through the three doors on the second yard’s porticos. First door is Kiler-i Amire Kapısı. The one in the middle is Has Mutfak Kapısı. The last and most near one of the doors to Bab-üs-Saade is Helvahane Kapısı. Mutfaklar is a street like other service units; introvert and independent. There; instead of yard; there is a long service path with fringes on both sides. The kitchens included dormitories, baths and a mosque for the employees, most of which have disappeared over time.
The Palace Kitchens also referred to as the Main Kitchen (Mâtbah-ı Âmire) serving the Sultan, the people of the Enderûn and the Harem open onto the Second Courtyard through the doors of the Main Pantry (Kiler-i Âmire), the Privy Kitchen (Has Mutfak) and the kitchen section where desserts and candies were made, the Helvahâne which are situated in the rear of the cloisters.
The elongated Palace Kitchens (Saray Mutfakları) are a prominent feature of the palace. Some of the kitchens were first built in the 15th century at the time when the palace was constructed. They were modeled on the kitchens of the Sultan's palace at Edirne. They were enlarged during the reign of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent but burned down in 1574. The kitchens were remodeled and brought up to date according to the needs of the day by the court architect Mimar Sinan.
The kitchens consisting of ten sections were built in the 15th century and developed and enlarged during the 16th century under the reign of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. They were restored after the fire of 1574 by Chief Architect Mimar Sinan. The low-domed structures located to the south of the kitchens date from the 15th century. The walls are built of stone and the covering system is made of brick.
Rebuilt to the old plan by Sinan, they form two rows of twenty wide chimneys (added by Sinan), rising like stacks from a ship from domes on octagonal drums. The kitchens are arranged on an internal street stretching between the Second Courtyard and the Sea of Marmara. The entrance to this section is through the three doors in the portico of the Second Courtyard: the Imperial commissariat (lower kitchen) door, imperial kitchen door and the confectionery kitchen door.
The palace kitchens consist of ten domed buildings: Imperial kitchen, Enderun (palace school), Harem (women’s quarters), Birun (outer service section of the palace), kitchens, beverages kitchen, confectionery kitchen, creamery, storerooms and rooms for the cooks. They were the largest kitchens in the Ottoman Empire. The meals for the Sultan, the residents of the Harem, Enderun and Birun (the inner and outer services of the palace) were prepared here.
Located in the Divan Courtyard of the palace on the sea aspect of the site. These were built by Mimar Sinan to replace the earlier kitchens. Viewed from the sea side the kitchens 172 meters in length, form a distinctive line of the palace silhouette. Comprising of 10 sections each roofed by 10 domes, the chimneys over the domes give them a distinct and beautiful line. Providing meals for thousands of people daily, the kitchens' cooks cooked separately for the Sultan, his mother, and the ladies of the Harem as well as for other officials of the palace.
These kitchens having ten rooms, was cooking meal for Birun and Enderûn. Mutfak personnel, used to prepare rich fast meals for Ulufe and Festivals. Mutfaklar beginning from the south; was reserved for the palace dwellers and workers,in turn. The first one was the Sultan’s kitchen and was cooking various kinds of foods for one person. Serçini, the chef, was preparing food for the Sultan with other twelve skilled cook. Serçini was responsible for the porcelain dinner sets which are used for the Sultan and delegates reception.
For the kitchens of the palace, from the different places of the empire; qualified material, alive animals, fruits and vegetables and spices used to be provided. Matbah-ı Amire Emini who is responsible for the kitchens, was having a high rank which is close to viziership. Kitchens used to hold a good amount of employees. And Helvacıbaşı was leading the service together with a crowded stuff of people when preparing the deserts. All the dismissals and appointments of all these stuff whom works under directive of Kilercibaşı in Enderun, was managed by him.
These places’ present day use is like that; upon entering the Kiler-i Amire Kapısı, Vekilharç Dairesi which is at the right hand side; being restored; serves as Museum Workshops. Photography Workshop and Textiles Conservation Workshop is also situated in this building. After restorations, Kiler and Yağhane binası functions as Museum Palace Archive. Aşçılar Mescidi with its two floors, beside the oil house structure, is still conserved, but not allowed for visits.
Placed on three sides of an elongated inner courtyard are the Sherbet and Jam Room (Şerbethane / reçelhane), the Dessert and Candy Room (Helvahane), the kitchens proper, the prayer facility for the kitchen chefs and cooks, the oil house, the pantry which is used today as palace archives, and located across from those is the ward for the chefs and cooks. The Palace Kitchens were also serving food to the high state officials, members of the Imperial Council in session and various other groups forming part of the Palace hierarchy.
The 18th century built Mosque of the Cooks is endowed with a wooden loge. The wooden porches of the kitchens’ service roads and the wooden ward structures have been removed in the framework of the 1920 renovations.
The elongated palace kitchens (Saray Mutfakları) are a prominent feature of the palace. Some of the kitchens were first built in the 15th century at the time when the palace was constructed. They were modeled on the kitchens of Edirne Palace. They were enlarged during the reign of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent but burned down in 1574. The kitchens were remodeled and brought up to date according to the needs of the day by the court architect Mimar Sinan.
Rebuilt to the old plan by Sinan, they form two rows of 20 wide chimneys (added by Sinan), rising like stacks from a ship from domes on octagonal drums. The kitchens are arranged on an internal street stretching between the Second Courtyard and the Sea of Marmara. The entrance to this section is through the three doors in the portico of the Second Courtyard: the Imperial commissariat (lower kitchen) door, imperial kitchen door and the confectionery kitchen door.
The palace kitchens consist of 10 domed buildings: Imperial kitchen, (palace school), Harem (women’s quarters), Birûn (outer service section of the palace), kitchens, beverages kitchen, confectionery kitchen, creamery, storerooms and rooms for the cooks. They were the largest kitchens in the Ottoman Empire.
The meals for the Sultan, the residents of the Harem, Enderûn and Birûn (the inner and outer services of the palace) were prepared here. Food was prepared for about 4,000 people. The kitchen staff consisted of more than 800 people, rising to 1,000 on religious holidays. As many as 6,000 meals a day could be prepared. Even the serving of food to the sultan was strictly regulated by protocol.
HELVAHANE
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The "Helvahane" (kitchen for the preparation of desserts), which is a small building neighbouring the court kitchen, has 4 domes and dates from the reign of Sultan Süleyman I, being built by the famous architect Sinan. Its present apperance is the result of its restoration in 1945. In the first room, entering from outside, are displayed the old bronze and copper kitchen utensils of the helvahane, in which various desserts were prepared.
Here can be seen cauldrons and pots in gigantic sizes, as well as marvellous gold and silver-plated jugs, mugs and other items. The dorms of the helvacı, cook and tablakar’s, is being used as exhibition hall of the museum. The building which is built by the dorm of cooks, used to be exhibiting crystals, European porcelains and silvers. Apart from exhibiting kitchen utensils, today the buildings contain a silver gifts and utensils collection, as well as large collections of Chinese blue-and-white, white, and celadon porcelain.
The Dessert and Candy Room (Helvahane), dating from the time of Süleyman the Magnificent, has four sections. There is a foundation inscription dated 1767 to the right of the entrance, and a fountain. This fountain and the Kelime-i Tevhid (The Word of Unity: Islamic declaration of faith in the oneness of God) inscription on the door are believed to date from the repairs carried out ulterior to 1574.
One accedes from the Dessert and Candy Room (Helvahane) into the Sherbet & Jam Room (Şerbethane / reçelhane) situated on the short edge of the courtyard. There is an inscription on this gate regarding a repair work conducted at the structure, mentioning Hadji Mehmet Agha's name and the date of 1699. The doors in kündekâri style, i.e. made of wood carvings with geometrically designed motifs and the concatenated Iznik tiles belong to the same period.
The dorms of the helvacı, cook and tablakar’s, is being used as exhibition hall of the museum. The building which is built by the dorm of cooks, used to be exhibiting crystals, European porcelains and silvers. In the opposite site, the kitchens are transformed into separate exhibition saloons and exhibiting Chinese and Japanese porcelains.
LOCATION SATELLITE MAP
WEB SITE : Topkapı Palace Museum Directorate
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E-Mail : topkapisarayimuzesi@kultur.gov.tr
Phone : +90 212 512 0480
Fax : +90 212 526 9840
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