FLATS OF THE CROWN PRINCE

Sultanahmet, Fatih - Istanbul - Turkey

Topkapı Palace Museum / Harem



PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM

The Twin Kiosk / Flats of the Crown Prince (Çifte Kasırlar / Veliahd Dairesi) consists of two privy chambers both with classical fireplaces, built in the 17th century, at different times. The two rooms date from the reign of Sultan Murat III, but are more probably from the reign of Sultan Ahmed I. These chambers represent all the details of the classical style used in other parts of the palace. The pavilion has been completely redecorated and most of the Baroque woodwork has been removed.

The building is connected to the palace and consists of only one storey built on an elevated platform to give a better view from inside and shield views from the outside. One of the units is domed; the other has a wooden ceiling. The ceiling is not flat but conical in the kiosk style, evoking the traditional tents of the early Ottomans. As in tents, there is no standing furniture but sofas set on the carpeted floor on the side of the walls for seating. These chambers represent all the details of the classical style used in other parts of the palace.

The hall located at the entrance is thought to have been built by Sultan Murat IV; and the one situated inside is believed to have been built by Sultan Mehmet IV. The Twin Kiosk has been used as the privy chamber of the Crown Princes from the 18th century onwards. The crown prince (Şehzadeler) lived here in seclusion, therefore the apartments were also called kafes (cage).

The decorative tiles, reflecting the high quality craftsmanship of the İznik tile industry of the 17th century, were removed in accordance with the original concept and replaced with modern copies. The paintwork of the wooden dome is still original and is an example of the rich designs of the late 16th/early 17th centuries. The fireplace in the second room has a tall, gilded hood and has been restored to its original appearance.

The walls are adorned with two superimposed rows of windows grouped in sets of three. The stained glass pointed arches of the upper row of windows were renovated.  Fountains with marble-basins placed on the jambs of the window frames stand out as elements of the architectural style of the era. The hand-drawn gilded ornaments on the fabric coating the wooden ceiling are original.

The window shutters next to the fire place are decorated with nacre intarsia. The windows in coloured glass look out across the high terrace and the garden of the pool below. The spigots in these windows are surrounded with red, black and gold designs. The window frames and marble niches are gilded.  The walls, both internally and externally are covered with examples of the highest quality of the 17th century Iznik tile making in harmony with the style of the period.

The crown prince and other princes were trained in the discipline of the Ottoman Harem until they reached adulthood. Afterwards, they were send as governors to Anatolian provinces, where they were further trained in the administration of state affairs. From the beginning of the 17th century onward, the princes lived in the Harem, which started to have a voice in the palace administration. The Twin Kiosk was used as the privy chamber of the crown prince from the 18th century onward.

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WEB SITE : Topkapı Palace Museum Directorate

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E-Mail : http://www.topkapisarayi.gov.tr/
Phone : +90 212 512 0480
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PRIVY CHAMBER OF SULTAN MURAD III

Sultanahmet, Fatih - Istanbul - Turkey

Topkapı Palace Museum / Harem



PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM

The Privy Chamber of Sultan Murat III (III. Murat Has Odası) dated to the first construction period (1578 and 1590) of the Harem, is the oldest and finest surviving room in the Harem, having retained its original interior. It was erected in 1579 on the orders of Sultan Murat III by the master architect Sinan, on the emplacement of the former privy chamber believed to have belonged to Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent.

The structure was utilized for several centuries as the private quarters and reception hall of the Ottoman monarchs.  It is one of the most splendid examples of the classical Ottoman architecture of the late 16th century.

The interior details of the pavilion are symmetrical. The main hall is endowed with a large dome, slightly smaller than that of the Throne Room, resting on monumental arches. The large dome symbolizes the permanency of the Ottoman monarchs. It also has a domed entrance platform. The interior of the main hall is decorated with blue-and-white and coral-red 16th century Iznik tiles.

There is also a large indoor pool under the kiosk. A belt of inscriptional tiles runs around the room above the shelf and door level. It is inscribed in white calligraphic characters on a blue background with the most famous verse of the Qur'an, the Throne Verse or Ayatul Kursi, the 255th verse (ayet) of the second chapter (sure) Al-Baqara. There are arched triple-niches between the deep windows with marble jambs.

Rumi (a style of ornamentation widely used by the Seljuks of Anatolia, of Rum) and palmette decorations manufactured by using the malakari technique (painting with plaster reliefs) ornament the inside of the dome and its pendentives. The dome rim is decorated with the same patterns carved in marble relief.  The monumental fireplace with a gilded tombac hood stands opposite a two-tiered ornamental fountain built into the wall (selsebil) skilfully decorated in coloured marble.

Cabinet doors inlaid with geometrically patterned interlaced mother of pearl and tortoiseshell, attributed to Sedefkar (Nacre-master) Mehmet Agha,are classical elements. The two gilded wooden baldachin thrones in Ottoman baroque style date from the 18th century.

The Privy Chamber of Murat III (III. Murad Has Odası) is the oldest and finest surviving room in the harem, having retained its original interior. It was a design of the master architect Sinan and dates from the 16th century. Its dome is only slightly smaller than that of the Throne Room. Its hall has one of the finest doors of the palace and leads past the wing of the crown princes (Kafes).

The room is decorated with blue-and-white and coral-red İznik tiles. The rich floral designs are framed in thick orange borders of the 1570s. A band of inscriptional tiles runs around the room above the shelf and door level. The large arabesque patterns of the dome have been regilded and repainted in black and red.

The large fireplace with gilded hood (ocak) stands opposite a two-tiered fountain (çeşme), skilfully decorated in coloured marble. The flow of water was meant to prevent any eavesdropping, while providing a relaxed atmosphere to the room. The two gilded baldachin beds date from the 18th century.

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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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COURTYARD AND KIOSK OF SULTAN OSMAN III

Sultanahmet, Fatih - Istanbul - Turkey

Topkapı Palace Museum / Harem



The construction of the Courtyard and Kiosk of Sultan Osman III, started in the 1750s under Sultan Mahmud I. The construction which divided the Harem garden was completed by Osman III as a terrace resting on high pillars. This construction which linked the Harem’s main wall to the façade is the only structure of Harem protruding toward the Hasbahçe.

This courtyard marking the beginning of the 18th century construction style and going beyond classical architectural standards because of the narrow space involved is embellished by a marble pool and flower beds.

This courtyard possessing a latticed bower is the only architectural vestige which gives an idea of the public life depicted in Ottoman landscapes under Western influence. After the courtyard, the Harem’s traditional aspect with consoles, porticos and loggias was changed and the façade of the Throne Room, which opened onto the courtyard, was covered with pen ornamentation.

The triple-space arrangement consisting of a main room projecting in the middle flanked by a room on either side, a representative specimen of the 18th century, was the Kiosk of Sultan Osman III. This wooden Kiosk àssumed, under Sultan Mahmud II, the aspect of a wooden kiosk in the Empire style with lath and plaster work and projecting eaves, the walls of which being decorated with twisted leaves and architectural designs up to the level of the day openings.

The refined gilded rococo curves of cupboards, ceilings and window recesses and lateral rococo walls and the tiles with small violet roses inside the plaster chimneys date from the beginning of the construction.

Furthermore, rose marble panels between vertical sash windows, gilded wooden frames and stone mosaic revet-tings on flanking balconies indicate that the details of western art were applied harmoniously. The door on the main axis of the kiosk opens onto the courtyard. A corridor with windows and vaults connects the Kiosk the Courtyard to the Harem.

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



WEB SITE : Topkapı Palace Museum Directorate

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E-Mail : topkapisarayimuzesi@kultur.gov.tr
Phone : +90 212 512 0480
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CONCUBINES COURTYARD

Sultanahmet, Fatih - Istanbul - Turkey

Topkapı Palace Museum / Harem

CONCUBINES



PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM

Black Chiefs and all women regardless of their status were servants like the palace employees. The training system of concubines were like that of Converts. 16th century sources states that there used to be 2 dormitories for newly recruited concubines in Harem as it is the same at Enderun. The majority of concubines that were recruited between ages 5-16 originated generally Çerkez, as it is also known about the presence of Arabian and African concubines recruited.

In addition, the ages of concubines recruited for various services could be higher. The concubines recruited were first health examined. The new concubines were given new names considering their beauty, attitudes and appearances. The girls taken into the palace were taught Turkish and the etiquette manners. the first period of these girls at Harem was called as inexperience. Later, they used to become concubines, and after that promote to master apprenticeship called as (şakirt), mastership (ustalık) and constant frequenter class within time.

Because the most of concubines are employed for services, they were given to general services such as laundry, hamam heaters, pantry, table, after a short time. The beautiful and smart ones used to be trained by kalfa women about reading-writing, sewing, embroidery, playing music instruments, singing and dancing depending on their skills. The Sultans did not have relations with all concubines that were selected and trained for them, and their departure from the Palace was provided by making them marry with appropriate people.

The highest ranking of the palace women was called as Kadın. The concubines who were called as "for Private Room", Favorite (Gözde) or Prosperity (İkbal) among those the Sultan had relation with used to promoted later to Official wife of Sultan and Head of Wives (Kadın Efendi) after giving birth.

ROLE OF THE CONCUBINES

The Courtyard of the Favourites in the harem of Topkapı PalaceFor the perpetuation of the dynasty and service to the Ottoman Dynasty, beautiful and intelligent girls were brought in from the neighbouring countries to become imperial concubines (Cariyes). The concubines who were introduced into the Harem in their tender age were brought up in the disciplines of the Palace. They were promoted according to their capacities and became kalfas and ustas.

The concubine, with whom the Sultan shared his bed, became a member of the dynasty and rose in rank to attain the status of Gözde (the Favourite) or Kadınefendi (one of the Sultan’s consorts). The highest position herself was the Queen Mother (Valide Sultan), the mother of the Sultan, who herself used to be a concubine of the Sultan’s father and rose to the supreme rank in the Harem. No concubine could leave or enter the premises of the Harem without the explicit permission of the Queen Mother.

The powers of the Queen Mother even extended to questions of life and death of a concubine, with eunuchs directly reporting to her. The concubines either lived in the halls beneath the apartments of the consorts, Queen Mother and the Sultan, or in separate chambers. The consorts, kadınefendi, who had borne children to the sultan and whose number varied between four to eight formed the group who came next in rank to the Queen Mother.

Among those women who lived in their own quarters with their concubines and children "Baş Haseki", the favourite consort who was the mother of the crown prince and three other kadınefendis enjoyed a privileged position in the hierarchy of the harem.

COURTYARD OF THE SULTAN'S CONCORTS AND THE CONCUBINES

The Courtyard of the Sultan's Consorts and the Concubines (Kadın Efendiler Taşlığı / Cariye Taşlığı) was constructed at the same time as the courtyard of the eunuchs in the middle of the 16th century. It underwent restoration after the 1665 fire and is the smallest courtyard of the Harem. The porticoed courtyard is surrounded by baths (Cariye Hamamı), a laundry fountain, coffee kitchen, a laundry, dormitories, the apartments of the Sultan's Chief Consorts and the apartments of the stewardesses (Kalfalar Dairesi).

This area also known as Kadın Efendi or Concubine Stone Courtyard is the smallest courtyard of Harem. This Stone Courtyard can be accessed through a corridor on the left side of guard duty place which lets Harem’s Cümle Gate. This corridor had been formed with the wall that separates Black Chiefs Section on one side, and Masters’ Flat that separates Mother of Sultan Stone courtyard on the other. There are marble counters on one side of corridor. This counter is the place where Black Chiefs put the foot that is prepared at Harem’s kitchen on plates for Harem residents.

As in other Stone Courtyards, two-staired room arrangement that faces Stone Courtyard can also be seen here. On one side of Stone Courtyard where it joins Black Chiefs, there are hamam, hamam külhanı (heater) and pantry. On narrow side, there are kitchen, laundry room and bathrooms. On Haliç side, there is a concubine dormitory with şirvan. Using the stone stairs on the side of this dormitory, one can go down to Harem gardens, concubine dormitories and hospital sections. There are three private flats on two stairs on the Haliç side of Stone Courtyard that belongs to Head of Wives.

CONCUBINE DORMITORIES

There are Concubine Dormitories in the section where the payeli substructure holds Head of Wives and Mother Of Sultan Flats. Concubines could continue their Harem life which they started on the lowest floor on higher floors and higher levels in regards to their abilities and chances, or after completing 8 years, they would become çırak. These dormitories were the places that could respond to the needs daily life with its wooden şirvan, light spaces, bathrooms and ablution places in 17th century when the concubines were the highest in number in Harem.

The three independent tiled apartments with fireplaces overlooking the Golden Horn were the quarters where the consorts of the Sultan lived. These constructions covered the site of the courtyard in the late 16th century. At the entrance to the quarters of the Queen Mother, wall frescoes from the late 18th century depict landscapes, reflecting the western influence.

The entrance to the apartments of the Queen Mother (Valide Sultan Dairesi) was decorated in the 18th century with paintwork depicting panoramic landscape views in the Western European style. The oldest bath of the Harem situated on the courtyard’s left hand side was converted into the baroque style in the mid-18th century.  The wards of the head servants and dormitories of the concubines were located on the upper floor.

FOURTY STAIRS / KIRKMERDİVEN

Using the door between dormitory and Heads of Wives Flat, stairs leads to mezzanine. Mezzanines have been built over this descent system that is called as Fourtystairs (Kırkmerdiven). Using Fourtystairs, Stone Courtyard also called as Hospitals and Concubine Courtyard can be accessed.

On the courtyard’s right hand side we find the ward historically referred to as the “long room”, which was heated with a large stove. The arched doorway next to the long room leads to the Harem hospital through a monumental stairway called the “40 steps”. The staircase, called the "Forty Steps" (Kirkmerdiven), leads to the Hospital of the Harem (Harem Hastanesi), the dormitories of the concubines at the basement of the Harem and Harem Gardens.

PASSAGE OF CONCUBINES

The Passage of Concubines (Cariye Koridoru) leads into the Courtyard of the Sultan's Chief Consorts and Concubines. On the counters along the passage, the eunuchs placed the dishes they brought from the kitchens in the palace.

The access to the section of the Harem where the women lived was provided through the Hallway/Corridor of the Concubines. The dishes prepared in the kitchens were brought here on large trays and placed on the hallway’s counters and racks by the black eunuchs; and after they had left the area, the concubines on duty would then pick up and serve the plates to the residents of the Harem in a hierarchical order according to rank and title.

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



WEB SITE : Topkapı Palace Museum Directorate

MORE INFO & CONTACT
E-Mail : topkapisarayimuzesi@kultur.gov.tr
Phone : +90 212 512 0480
Fax : +90 212 526 9840

These scripts and photographs are registered under © Copyright 2018, respected writers and photographers from the internet. All Rights Reserved.

EUNUCHS COURTYARD

Sultanahmet, Fatih - Istanbul - Turkey

Topkapı Palace Museum / Harem



PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM

Another door leads to the Courtyard of the (Black) Eunuchs (Harem Ağaları Taşlığı), with on the left side their apartments. At the end of the court is the apartment of the black chief eunuch (Kızlar Ağası), the fourth high-ranking official in the official protocol. In-between lays the school for the imperial princes with precious tiles from the 17th and 18th centuries and gilded wainscoting.

At the end of the court is the main gate to the harem (Cümle Kapısı). The narrow corridor on the left side leads to the apartments of the odalisques (white slaves given as a gift to the sultan). The main entrance gate of the Harem and the gate of the Kuşhane connected the Enderûn court leads out into the Kuşhane door.

Many of the eunuchs’ quarters face this courtyard, which is the first one of the Harem, since they also acted as guards under the command of the Chief Harem Eunuch. The spaces surrounding this courtyard were rebuilt after the great fire of 1665. The complex includes the dormitory of the Harem eunuchs behind the portico, the quarters of the Chief Harem Eunuch (Darüssaade Ağası) and the School of Princes as well as the Gentlemen-in-Waiting of the Sultan (Musahipler Dairesi) and the sentry post next to it.

Built in the late 16th century, the unit features a tiled main room with a fireplace, a bath (hamam), a coffee kitchen and service rooms. The fireplace in the main room is covered with 18th century Baroque European tiles. The compound includes on its upper floor tiled rooms with fireplace and the School of Princes, which was under the responsibility of the Chief Harem Eunuch. The school space is a double-fronted hall with a centrally domed and vaulted ceiling.

The upper level is decorated with 17th century classic Ottoman tiles whereas baroque style tiles ornament the floor level. These were commissioned in the 18th century by Beshir Agha (Beşir Ağa), the Chief Eunuch of Sultan Mahmut I. The baroque detailed plaster fireplace dates also from the same period.

It is thought that the Courtyard of the Black Eunuchs and the buildings around it were probably erected during the institutionalization phase of the Harem in the mid-16th century. This was the first courtyard of the Harem. Many of the Black Eunuchs’ quarters, which were also an educational place, face this courtyard, since they also acted as guards under the command of the Chief Harem Eunuch. The spaces surrounding this courtyard were rebuilt after the great Harem fire of 1665.

The complex includes the dormitory of the Harem eunuchs located on the left hand side behind the portico, the quarters of the Chief Harem Eunuch (Darü’s-saâde Ağası) and the School of Princes as well as the Gentlemen-in-Waiting of the Sultan (Musahipler Dairesi) and the sentry post next to it. The inscription on the façade of the dormitory includes the deeds of trust - established for the eunuchs-  of the Sultans Mustafa IV, Mahmut II and Abdülmecit I dating from the 19th century.

HAREM EUNUCHS

Guarding the women sections in imperial palaces by eunuch, which is an old tradition that goes back to Assyrians, spreaded out of Mesopotamia till Chinese and Roman palaces. The Ottoman Harem also adopted this tradition. Two groups called as White Eunuchs and Black Eunuchs lived in the Ottoman Palace.

Before, White Eunuchs being Gate of Felicity (Bab’üs-Saade) Chief were also granted Abode of Felicity (Dar’üs-Saade) Lordship. Sultan Murad III (1574-1595) granted this function to Black Eunuchs in 1582. Black Chiefs carried out this function that completely passed to Black Eunuchs towards the end of 16th century, by increasing their authorities and influence until the end of the sultanate.

At Topkapı Palace, at the court of the Ottoman sultans, the harem staff commonly included eunuchs. These were slaves, either captured in war (mainly Christian Europeans in the Balkans) or recruited within the empire (especially Caucasian peoples from Georgia and Armenia and blacks from Egypt and Sudan) or even beyond (especially in Abyssinia).

Black Eunuchs also called Eunuchs of the Harem were mostly chosen from the Central African territories of the Empire and in particular among those of Abyssinian origin. They were taught the rules of the Palace and Harem and trained and educated in a strict discipline. Their main functions were to guard the gates and control access to the Harem, accompany the carriages and let no one from the outside enter the Harem.

Black eunuchs usually were Sandali (i.e. their genitalia were entirely amputated), hence they were preferred for harem service, while White eunuchs usually kept part of their penis and/or testicles, so they were assigned to less 'intimate' duties, e.g. secretarial. They were often donated to the Sultan by his governors, in total about six- to eight hundred.

The castrated servicemen in the Muslim and Turkish states in the Middle Ages were recruited to serve in the palace from the times of Sultan Mehmed I onwards. These eunuchs who were trained in the palace and were given the charge of guarding the harem rose in rank after serving in many positions. The harem eunuchs and the harem organisation were under the command of the Chief harem eunuch, who was also called the Master of the Girls (Kızlar Ağasi) or Chief (Black) Eunuch.

They supervised the quarters where the female population of the palace lived. They had influence on the palace and later on the state administration in the 17th and 18th centuries as they had access to the sultan and the sultan's family and became very powerful. Eunuchs at the Ottoman court were preferably taken from Africa, especially Sudan. Since lighter skin was considered more aesthetic than dark skin, the sultans felt the chances of an affair developing between their, mostly Eastern European, concubines and their dark-skinned eunuch caretakers extremely low.

He was sometimes considered second only to the Grand Vizier (head of the imperial government, but often working in his own palace or even away, e.g., on military campaign) in the confidence of the Sultan, to whom he had and arranged access (including his bedchamber, the ne plus ultra for every harem lady), also being his confidential messenger. As commander of an imperial army corps, the halberdiers (baltaci), he even held the supreme military dignity of three-tail pasha (general).

Meanwhile the Chief (White) Eunuch (Kapı Ağasi), was in charge of 300 to 900 white eunuchs as head of the 'Inner Service' (the palace bureaucracy, controlling all messages, petitions, and State documents addressed to the Sultan), head of the Palace School (school for pages training as white eunuchs), gatekeeper-in-chief, head of the infirmary, and master of ceremonies of the Seraglio, and was originally the only one allowed to speak to the Sultan in private.

In 1591, Murad III transferred the powers of the white to the black eunuchs as there was too much embezzlement and various other nefarious crimes attributed to the white eunuchs, but later they regained some favor.

During the Women's Sultanate (Kadınlar Saltanatı), the eunuchs increased their political leverage by taking advantage of minor or mentally incompetent Sultans, causing political instability. The teenage Sultans were "guided" by regencies formed by the Queen Mother (Valide Sultan), the Grand Vizier and the Valide's other supporters- and the Chief Black Eunuch was the Queen Mother's and Chief Consorts' intimate and valued accomplice.

Since the Chief Harem Eunuchs oversaw the Ottoman imperial foundations and the Harem endowments, they were handling substantial revenues and had a high income. Consequently, they have been able to erect numerous mosques, schools, fountains and kiosks built for the dispensing of free drinking water as an act of piety in Istanbul and elsewhere in the country.  On the other hand, they have been effective in state administration, particularly in the 17th and 18th centuries, since they were close to the Sultan and his family owing to the tasks they were fulfilling in the court.

The Head of the Black Eunuchs, Chief Harem Eunuch (Darü’s-saâde Ağası) also called the Girls’ Eunuch was the highest authority in charge of the Harem. In the protocol ranking, he was placed directly after the Grand Vizier and the Sheikh ul-lslam, the chief religious official in the Ottoman Empire, (Şeyhülislam).

BLACK CHIEFS / KARA AĞALAR

African boys that are selected from the mid-Africa generally originating from Ethiopia used to be raised with a strict discipline after being taken to the Old Palace and Topkapı Palace. Castrated African kids called as çiçek used to be trained so that they would apply the Harem rules after learning Turkish.

They used to start their functions with the name of "Down Below (En Aşağı)" and pass to Beginner Lordship, and within time they used to promote to higher classes such as Ortanca, Hasırlı. After a certain period of time, they used to be provided promotions on their duties in Harem by being given to the service of Sultan’s Head of Wives and Mother Of Sultan.

APARTMENTS OF THE BLACK EUNUCH

Built in the late 16th century, the unit features a tiled main room with a fireplace, a bath (hamam), a coffee kitchen and service rooms.  The fireplace in the main room is covered with 18th century Baroque European tiles. The compound includes on its upper floor tiled rooms with fireplace and the School of Princes, which was under the responsibility of the Chief Harem Eunuch. 

The school space is a double-fronted hall with a centrally domed and vaulted ceiling. The upper level is decorated with 17th century classic Ottoman tiles whereas baroque style tiles ornament the floor level. These were commissioned in the 18th century by Beshir Agha (Beşir Ağa), the Chief Eunuch of Sultan Mahmut I. The baroque detailed plaster fireplace dates also from the same period.

DORMITORIES OF THE EUNUCHS

The dormitories date to the 16th century. They are arranged around an inner courtyard in three storeys. The decorated rooms on the upper stories were for novices and those below overlooking the courtyard were occupied by the eunuchs who had administrative functions. The third floor was added in the 18th century. The rooms are decorated with floral motifs and depictions of landscape. The portico in front of the ward was raised after the 1660 repairs.

The dormitories of the Harem eunuchs (Harem Ağaları Koğuşu) date to the 16th century. They are arranged around an inner courtyard in three storeys. The inscription on the facade of the dormitory includes the deeds of trust of the Sultans Mustafa IV, Mahmud II and Abdül Mecid I dating from the 19th century. The rooms on the upper stories were for novices and those below overlooking the courtyard were occupied by the eunuchs who had administrative functions.

There is a monumental fireplace revetted with the 18th century Kütahya tiles at the far end. The Chief Harem Eunuch's apartment (Darüssaade Ağasi Dairesi) adjacent to the dormitory contains a bath, living rooms and bed rooms. The school room of the princes under the control of the Chief Harem eunuch was on the upper storey. The walls were revetted with 18th century European tiles with baroque decorations.

The complex includes the dormitory of the Harem eunuchs located on the left hand side behind the portico, the quarters of the Chief Harem Eunuch (Darü’s-saâde Ağası) and the School of Princes as well as the Gentlemen-in-Waiting of the Sultan (Musahipler Dairesi) and the sentry post next to it. The inscription on the façade of the dormitory includes the deeds of trust - established for the eunuchs-  of the Sultans Mustafa IV, Mahmut II and Abdülmecit I dating from the 19th century.

PAVILION OF THE GENTLEMEN-IN-WAITING OF THE SULTAN

Persons close to the Sultan who were his confidants and intimates were referred to as musahib (companion). These gentlemen-in-waiting were usually chosen by the Sultan, from among knowledgeable and courteous people, skilled in making sharp witty remarks and conversation.  The quarters built to accommodate these Gentlemen-in-waiting consisted of multi-level cut stone structures.

It is known that the Treasurer and the dwarf aghas in charge of the financial affairs of the Harem also utilized these premises. The walls which were covered with tiles in the classical period reached the 19th century, coated with painted plaster. The front facing the courtyard is still partly tiled.

MOSQUE OF THE EUNUCHS

The mosque was restored following the Harem fire of 1665. Its two entrances bear the names of the Şadırvanlı Sofa (hall with fountain) and the Karaağalar Taşlığı (courtyard of the black eunuchs). The inscription above the Şadırvanlı Sofa entrance bears the date 1666/67. It leads to an arched corridor with windows. The date 1667/68 appears also in the inscription above the inside of the other entrance. The mosque is set on a square plan with a flat wooden ceiling. The door of the mosque interior opens onto a small courtyard.

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



WEB SITE : Topkapı Palace Museum Directorate

MORE INFO & CONTACT
E-Mail : topkapisarayimuzesi@kultur.gov.tr
Phone : +90 212 512 0480
Fax : +90 212 526 9840

These scripts and photographs are registered under © Copyright 2018, respected writers and photographers from the internet. All Rights Reserved.

HAREM MAIN ENTERENCE

Sultanahmet, Fatih - Istanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°00'43.9"N 28°58'59.0"E / 41.012191, 28.983055

Topkapı Palace Museum / Harem



PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM

The main entrance (Cümle Kapısı) separates the harem in which the family and the concubines of the Sultan resided from the Courtyard of the Eunuchs. This gate, an open platform with domes and arches leads out into the sentry post (Nöbet Yeri) to which the three main sections of the harem are connected.  The lateral wall of the platform is covered with panels using the famous cypress-dotted tiles typical of the Topkapı Harem.

The access to this space is provided through a crowned archway with Rumi style ornamentations (a style of ornamentation, widely used by the Seljuks of Anatolia) and bearing a 1667 dated Koran verses inscription. The door on the left of the sentry post leads through the Passage of the Concubines to the Court of the Concubines (Cariyeler Taşlığı). The door in the middle leads to the Court of the Queen Mother (Valide Taşlığı) and the door to the right leads through the Golden Road (Altınyol) to the Sultan's quarters. The large mirrors in this hall date from the 18th century.

The door leads out into the sentry post (Nöbet Yeri) to which the three main sections of the harem are connected. The door on the left of the sentry post leads through the Passage of the Concubines to the Court of the Concubines (Kadınefendiler Taşlığı). The door in the middle leads to the Court of the Queen Mother (Valide Taşlığı) and the door to the right leads through the Golden Road (Altınyol) to the sultan's quarters. The large mirrors in this hall date from the 18th century.

Courtyard of the Queen Mother
After the main entrance and before turning to the Passage of Concubines is the Courtyard of the Queen Mother.

Sentry Post
Another important structure in this direction is the Sentry Post. It is a three-storey building allocated to the guards, who controlled the Aviary Gate (Kuşhane Kapısı) and the main entrance gate of the Harem (Cümle Kapısı).  It is connected on one side to the mezzanine where the black eunuchs guard the main entrance.

THE DOME WITH CUPBOARDS ROOM

This place was built as a vestibule to the Harem in 1587 by Sultan Murat III (1574-95). The Harem treasury worked here. In its cupboards, records of deeds of trust were kept, administered by the Chief Harem Eunuch. This treasury stored money from the pious foundations of the Harem and other foundations, and financial records of the Sultans and the imperial family as well as the valuable presents sent annually by the Ottoman Sultan to Mecca and Medina during the period of pilgrimage.

HALL OF THE ABLUTION FOUNTAIN

The double space room at the entrance of the Harem was called the Hall with the Fountain due to the marble fountain which was under its dome. It reached our present-day in its remodelled form after the 1665 Harem fire. It was conceived as an entrance hall under the control of the Harem eunuchs. The Hall of the Ablution Fountain, also known as "Sofa with Fountain," (Şadirvanli Sofa).

The walls are revetted with 17th-century Kütahya tiles. The horse block in front of the mosque served the sultan to mount his horse and the sitting benches were for the guards. The fountain that gives the space its name was moved and is now in the pool of the Privy Chamber of Sultan Murad III.

It was conceived as an entrance hall under the control of the Harem eunuchs. This space is connected through a series of doorways to the Great (Horse) Mounting and Curtain Gate connecting the Harem to the Privy Garden (Has Bahçe); and to the Masjid (Mescit) of the Eunuchs and to the Tower of Justice from where the sultan watched the deliberations of the Imperial Council, led to this place.

On the left is the small mosque of the black eunuchs. The tiles in watery green, dirty white and middle blue all date from the 17th century (reign of Sultan Mehmed IV). Their design is of a high artistic level but the execution is of minor quality compared to 16th-century tiles, and the paint on these tiles blurs. The stone pedestal in front of the Masjid was foreseen for the Sultan to step on while mounting his horse and the seating benches were there to be used by the guardsmen.

AVIARY / HAREM GATE

Until the late 19th century, there had been a small inner court in this corner of the Enderun Courtyard. This court led through the Kuşhane Gate into the harem. Today this is the gate from which the visitors exit from the Harem. Birds were raised for the sultan's table in the buildings around the gate. On the inscription over the Kuşhane door one reads that Sultan Mahmud I had the kitchen of the Kuşhane repaired. The balcony of the aviary facing the Harem Gate was constructed during repair work in 1916. The building's facade resembles traditional aviaries.

GATE OF CARRIGES

The Harem’s entrance gate from the Second Courtyard is the Gate of Carriages (Arabalar Kapısı). The inscription above the gate dated 1586 specifies that the Harem was expanded under Sultan Murat III (1574-95). The Gate is also called Gate of Girls since it was the gate used by women of the Harem when they were returning to the court from the waterside summer residences or when the Mother Queens were entering the Harem after the accession to the throne of their sons.

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



WEB SITE : Topkapı Palace Museum Directorate

MORE INFO & CONTACT
E-Mail : topkapisarayimuzesi@kultur.gov.tr
Phone : +90 212 512 0480
Fax : +90 212 526 9840

These scripts and photographs are registered under © Copyright 2018, respected writers and photographers from the internet. All Rights Reserved.

TOPKAPI PALACE HAREM

Sultanahmet, Fatih - Istanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°00'46.9"N 28°58'59.7"E / 41.013015, 28.983248

Topkapı Palace Museum / Harem



PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM - 1

PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM - 2

The literal meaning of the word harem in Arabic language is, “a holy place that everyone is not allowed to enter”. In  Muslim societies, it is a notion which defines intimate family life. In Ottoman tradition, the word "Harem" was used in two different senses. First, "the sultan's harem" i.e. his family, and the second meaning would have referred to the space where his family lived. Besides constituting the core of the dynasty, the palace harem forming a wing of the cadre of sultan’s household officials recruited via devshirme (devşirme) - a system of recruitment of youngsters of foreign background for serving the Ottoman Empire - was also  an environment serving the purpose of creating a sound state aristocracy by wedding the concubines having received a disciplined education to the recruit-aghas (squires) who had been thoroughly educated and trained at the Palace’s Enderûn School.

The Topkapı Palace Harem was the living space of the  Sultan, the Queen Mother,  the sultan’s women, children, brothers and sisters and servants and concubines and Black Eunuchs who were the protectors of the Harem. This set of structures, which constituted the private and prohibited space of the Ottoman dynasty, underwent a constant evolution from the 16th until the beginning of the 19th century, displaying a great variety of building styles changing with each period, hence forming an extremely important and interesting complex from the point of view of architectural history. Expanded in time through the additions made by each sultan, the Topkapı Palace Harem today consists of about 300 rooms, 9 baths, 2 mosques, 1 hospital, 1 laundry, and numerous wards of different kinds.

The living spaces of  all the service groups integrated within the institutionalization system of the Harem were gathered around a common courtyard. The fact that the pebble stone walking path ends at the Fireplace Chamber constituting the entrance to the private quarters of the Sultan, highlights the sovereign’s itinerary

The Imperial Harem (Harem-i Hümayûn) occupied one of the sections of the private apartments of the sultan; it contained more than 400 rooms. The harem was home to the sultan's mother, the Valide Sultan; the concubines and wives of the sultan; and the rest of his family, including children; and their servants. The harem consists of a series of buildings and structures, connected through hallways and courtyards.

Every service team and hierarchical group residing in the harem had its own living space clustered around a courtyard. The number of rooms is not determined, with probably over 100, of which only a few are open to the public. These apartments (Daires) were occupied respectively by the harem eunuchs, the Chief Harem Eunuch (Darüssaade Ağası), the concubines, the queen mother, the sultan's consorts, the princes and the favourites. There was no trespassing beyond the gates of the harem, except for the sultan, the queen mother, the sultan's consorts and favourites, the princes and the concubines as well as the eunuchs guarding the harem.

The harem wing was only added at the end of the 16th century. Many of the rooms and features in the Harem were designed by Mimar Sinan. The harem section opens into the Second Courtyard (Divan Meydanı), which the Gate of Carriages (Arabalar Kapısı) also opens to. The structures expanded over time towards the Golden Horn side and evolved into a huge complex. The buildings added to this complex from its initial date of construction in the 15th century to the early 19th century capture the stylistic development of palace design and decoration. Parts of the harem were redecorated under the sultans Mahmud I and Osman III in an Italian-inspired Ottoman Baroque style. These decorations contrast with those of the Ottoman classical age.

Harem Construction Periods

End of 15th  to mid-16th Century
The Old Palace in Bayezit was used as a Harem following the conquest of Istanbul in 1453. However, the  Women's Palace (Saray-ı Duhteran) situated along the Golden Road is believed to have been the Harem nucleus belonging to the initial phase of the palace construction. Women brought from the Old Palace to the Topkapı Palace upon the Sultan’s demand were temporarily accommodated at this dwelling.  This apartment is today the section called the Haseki  (Sultan’s favoured wife) quarters. It was probably remodelled several times. Since women did not yet reside in the Harem at this early stage, large staffs of concubines and eunuchs  were not deemed necessary.  Another building of that first period is the tower-mansion  called the “Sultan Selim I Tower” located adjacent to the exit of the Harem’s Privy Chamber.

Period of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent (1520-1566)
It was established that the building up of the Topkapı Palace Harem actually began following the settlement of the favoured wife of Süleyman the Magnificent, Haseki Hürrem Sultan at the Topkapı Palace. During this period, several wards were built adjacent to one another but without being interconnected for the concubines and the Black Eunuchs. The former Privy Chamber which formerly existed on the emplacement of the dwelling currently called the Privy Chamber of  Sultan Murat III,  is known to have been built by Süleyman the Magnificent.  The First Woman (Baş Haseki) apartment came to be referred to under the name of Hürrem Sultan since then.

Period of Sultan Murat III (1574-1595)
The institutionalization of the harem was completed in this period. The early construction style developed around landscape-exposed open spaces evolved, during the 10-year-long construction phase, towards structures gathered around privacy-oriented enclosed inner courtyards.   Buildings rising on pillared base structures due to the topographical circumstances of the area were endowed with rich façades in harmony with the classical architecture concept of the period. These rich façade configurations also represented the hierarchical order of the Harem. The Head Architects of the era were Mimar Sinan and Davut Ağa. The Concubine wards; the Apartments of the Queen Mother; the double baths; The Imperial Hall (Hünkâr Sofası), also known as the Imperial Sofa; the Privy Chamber of  Sultan Murat III and the Crown Prince quarters were all erected during that period.

17th -18th Centuries
The Privy Chamber of Sultan Ahmet I , the Privy Chamber of Sultan Ahmet III, the Kiosk of Sultan Osman III, the Apartments of Sultan Selim III and the Mihrişah Sultan Quarters constructed above the Apartments of  the Queen Mother, the Twin Kiosks, the Interval (Mabeyn) and Favourites (Gözdeler) apartments were built after the 1665 fire, by applying  Baroque and Rococo style decorations onto the structures. The reason behind the proliferation of constructions during this period was the gradual changes occurred in the governing style as well as customs and tastes of the dynasty.

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



WEB SITE : Topkapı Palace Museum Directorate

MORE INFO & CONTACT
E-Mail : topkapisarayimuzesi@kultur.gov.tr
Phone : +90 212 512 0480
Fax : +90 212 526 9840

These scripts and photographs are registered under © Copyright 2018, respected writers and photographers from the internet. All Rights Reserved.

DOLMABAHCE PALACE / HAREM-I HÜMAYUN

Dolmabahçe, Beşiktaş - İstanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°02'21.9"N 29°00'06.2"E / 41.039403, 29.001728



PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM

Other principal sections are the suite of the Valide Sultan (sultan’s mother), the so-called Blue and Pink salons, the bedrooms of sultans Abdülmecid, Abdülaziz and Mehmed V. Reşad, the section housing the lower ranking palace women known as the Cariyeler Dairesi, the rooms of the sultan’s wives (kadınefendi), and the study and bedroom used by Atatürk. All the main rooms are furnished with valuable carpets, ornaments, paintings, chandeliers and calligraphic panels.

HAREM ENTRANCE HALL

Harem entrance hall is in the middle level of the Sultan’s apartment in the Harem. The two entrances (one facing the Bosphorus strait, the other facing the rear courtyard) were used by the Sultan for entering or leaving the Royal quarters. The rooms adjoining the hall were allocated to the use of the women who served the Sultan (Cariye). On either side of the staircase stand two pink vase candelabras which are the rare examples of Turkish made lighting accessories found in the Palace collection.

The doors leading to the main Harem entry hall are directly across from the door leading to the mother’s apartment and lead from the Harem garden and street. The carriages of the women going on a visit outside the palace would line up in front of this door and the women would be escorted through the door of the Sultan’s mother. The frescoes that line the borders of the ceiling are among the main features of this hall which are decorated with some interesting furnishings, like the large vase and tray of malachite, a malchalite table and end tables, a table clock veneered with malchalite.

HAREM-I HÜMAYUN

The self-contained Harem occupies two thirds of the palace, corridors linking it to the Mabeyn and the Ceremonial Hall. Access to the Harem was by iron and wooden doors, through which only the sultan could pass freely. Here are a series of salons and galleries whose windows look out onto the İstanbul Strait, and leading off them the suites of rooms belonging to the sultan's wives, the high ranking female officials of the Harem, and the sons, brothers, daughters and sisters of the sultan.

Harem-i Humayun is the private section of Sultan and his family and it was connected to the Selamlik section by a long corridor which was guarded all the time to make sure that nobody passes. Despite of being influenced by Western architecture and being built by taking European palaces as an example, in Dolmabahce, the Harem was designed as a separate section, although not rigid as it used to be in terms of space arrangements and functional relations.

The Harem area in the Dolmabahce Palace was set aside as the private residence of the Sultan, his mother, his official wives, royal princes and princesses. Harem has ten separate apartments; eight of these were set aside for the official and unofficial wives (Favorites) who were the mothers of the royal princes and princesses. The Harem also included a guest suite for special guests. The first two apartments are situated parallel to the Bosphorus Strait and these were reserved for the ruling Sultan and his mother.

Harem-i Humayun is a private living space integrated to the whole under the same roof so it is not a building separated from the Palace. Harem was strictly prohibited by any man to go in, except the sultan himself of course and the eunuch servants. The Harem section is formed by several halls, rooms and baths. There were rooms for official wives, suites of the sultan, quarter of the Queen mother (Valide Sultan), favorites (Gözde) and concubines (Cariye), and some education rooms for the young children of the sultan.

The other apartments in the harem were positioned at right angles to the sea. Each of the apartments has three stories and each has its own attic area as well. The apartments of the official and unofficial wives were situated in the middle of Sultan and his mother’s apartment enabling the queen mother to monitor the passing of the ladies to and from the Sultan’s apartment. Sultan’s mother (Mother Queen, and in Turkish Valide Sultan) was always on top of the rest of the ladies in hierarchy.

The Cariyes, (Concubines or maids in waiting) have also their apartments in this area. The Harem service bureaucracy was supervised by the “Mistress of the Harem”, the chief female chamberlain. Among those superintendent level maids in waiting assigned to provide services to the Sultan’s apartment were the head housekeeper, her deputy, the head coffee maker, the head urn carrier, the head food taster, the head barber, the head laundry woman, and other “first class” maids in waiting to the palace.

These maids had their own assistants who made up the “second class” of women serving the Sultan. Besides these women, there were approximately twenty other “high ranking” people (Mansipli) who provided special services to the Sultan’s private quarters. There were the other third class, fourth class servants in service like the person who maintained the stoves, the nursing stuff, and the medical officer.

It was not only Sultan’s apartment that employed a staff. Servants were assigned to each of the apartments in the Harem and even to the newly born princes and princesses. The word Cariye (Concubine) at that time referred to someone who was in the personal service of the Sultan, his mother, his wives and his children. During the reform period each apartment was assigned approximately ten Cariye among whom assigned to to Princes and Princesses was that of “Chief Governess”.

In the line of rank the Governess was followed by the wet nurse. Usually the daughters of the wet nurses were also among those who helped the young royals. There were generally between five and ten women in varying responsibilities who cared for the infants.

Among the most interesting and impressive features of Harem there are Blue and Pink Halls, the apartment of Valide Sultan (Mother Sultan), the rooms of Sultans Abdulmedjid, Abdulaziz and also Resad, matrons rooms, concubines section, Great Ataturk's study and bedroom and many valuable artifacts such as rugs and kilims, furniture, chandeliers, inscriptions, vases, oil paintings etc. Rooms and three baths of Harem-i Humayun section arranged informally around ten large halls, five on each floor.

Hall (I) of the Royal Women’s Apartment
The rooms located on the upper floor of the Harem that lead to the apartments of the wives and princesses were used for private parties and meetings hosted by members of the Harem. A wide staircase connects the first saloon with the main Harem entry hall below. A Japanese cabinet is one of the most interesting furnishings of this room.

Made up of both open shelves and areas closed with doors, the cabinet utilizes various decoration techniques including mother-of-pearl and ivory inlay, open work carvings on the wooden areas, doors covered with embroidered silk fabrics, and lacquered workmanship on the drawer faces and doors. This techniques could only have been done by different artisans, thus increasing the overall value of the piece. On the opposite wall is the large barrel organ made up of six barrels that emit music when the notes over them are turned. To the right of the women’s saloon is the upper floor of the corner apartment.

Apartments of the Royal Women
The bedroom furniture in this apartment was made in Istanbul and Rococo in style. The atmosphere is dominated by the rose motifs on the fabrics, a pattern that is repeated in the draperies. The ceiling and murals in the “everyday guest” room are decorated in a manner that is close to traditional Ottoman style and is different from most other sections that is decorated in western styles. The pieces that make up the living room set was carved on all four sides with very fine wood carving workmanship. The colors of the tile stove accord with the pastel tones that make up the main colors of the room itself.

Hall (II) of the Royal Women’s Apartment
This hall was used during the Ottoman period to host several activities and festivities as the party to mark the fact that a prince or princess had mastered the arts of reading, other such events / Qu’ran recitations, evening prayers during Ramadan, and prayers for the deceased).

The Baths of the Royal Women and the Mother Queen
The first of the baths along the corridor that overlooks the pool garden was designated for the use of Wives and the princesses. The second bath was reserved for the Mother Queen. The baths were entered from two separate dressing rooms, identified as the “cool” section. These two baths are symmetric in design and are reminiscent of the traditional “paired” baths used by the public (identical and adjacent separate areas set aside for men and women).

The Sultan’s Tiled Turkish Bath and Resting Room
The bath used by the Sultan reflects all of the traditional features of a Turkish bath consisting the “cool”, “hot”, and “resting” sections. The walls covered with tiles decorated with Art-Nouveau violet colored flowers which were the characteristics of the early 20th century art. The carved marble platform, basins, and the eagle figure perches on top of the faucets give the bath a unique appearance.

One of the most beautiful stoves of the palace collection is in this bath. The stove is made of ceramic plates decorated with traditional Ottoman motifs in shades of cobalt blue, turquoise, and green on a white background. The atmosphere of the resting room is enriched by the Turkish carpets on the floor.

The Blue Hall
The hall was named as “Blue Hall” due to the colors highlighted in its draperies and upholsteries. The Sultan, the Royal Women, and first class maids celebrated the Ramadan and Sacrificial holidays in this hall. As from the second half of the 19th century onwards the Ottoman Sultans used this hall for official receptions of foreign head of states. The Sultan’s mother, (or in her absence the head wife) would use this room to welcome and entertain the wife/wives of visiting head of state.

Even the wives or children of the Sultan were only allowed to enter or leave this hall by invitation or appointment. Members of the palaces’s most elite servants, persons directly selected by the Sultan himself, would guard the lower and upper floors of this hall throughout the day, having the full responsibility for everything that took place here. The four corners of the ceiling sectioned off with gold leaf panels have been decorated with landscapes representing the four seasons.

The carpet on the floor reflects European carpet design. The chandelier is made of French Baccarat crystal. The interior design, especially that of the Harem, was the work of French designer Sechan. In 1937 an elevator which has recently been restored, was built into the air shaft for the use of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. It is now on exhibition for visitors, thus recreating a living memory of the founder of Turkish Republic.

Sultans Resting Room
The room at the corner of the blue hall was used by the Sultan for resting and performing his religious rites. During the reign of Sultan Abdülmecid, the room was used to preserve the sacred beard hairs of the Prophet. The ceiling is decorated with frescoes and the wall with murals. Among the interesting pieces of the furniture are the gold leaf bedroom set and wardrobe. The decoration is complete with a Hereke carpet of scattered flower design.

Pink Hall
During the Ottoman period the hall was used by the Mother of the Sultan as her living room in which she hosted her special guests together with the other important Royal members of the Harem. Some of the family gathering that Sultan also participated were held here. A silver brazier stands in front of the Neo-Gothic corner seating arrangement bearing the Ottoman coat of arms that lines the walls of the Pink hall.

The rug in the center of the room is one of the palace’s best Hereke carpets. One of the paintings in this hall is the work of French artist Pierre Desire Guillement, while another is signed by Charles Chaplin. Among the portraits is the one of Dürrüşehvar Sultan, the daughter of the last Caliph, Abdulmecid Efendi.

The Palace of the Crown Prince
On the east of the harem section The Palace of the Crown Prince is located. It is a separate structure and they are separated by a wall but it appears as an extension of the main palace when viewed from the water.

SULTAN’S ROOM IN THE HAREM

The administrative (Men’s) section of the palace ends with the apartment of the Sultan and the Harem section begins with the Sultan’s second apartment. For the time being, only the Sultan’s Royal room on the upper floor of the Harem is open to public. This room is known as the “Crimson Room” due to the tones of red used on the walls and the furniture. Sultan used this room in the Harem for receptions and resting. Here he received his wives, children, other members of the dynasty, and Harem officials.

The walls of the room are covered with wooden panels clothed with a fabric. The interior design was the work of one of the palace designers, Sechan. After the completion of the design and paperwork, it was first submitted to Sultan for his approval and then it was applied later on. The gilding and white lacquer of the furniture is a very good example of Neo-classical, Rococo style.

The ebony table in the center of the room was embellished with the monogram of Sultan Abdülmecid. The fireplace is huge and combines the movement, depth, and the magnificence representing the Baroque with that of “Empire” style. The floral motifs and decorative elements lined up across the marble surface created by carving, relief, and gluing techniques and then a great deal of gilding was used to complete the embellishments.

HEAD MAID’S ROOM

While the number of women serving the Sultan often changed, there were an average 20 – 25 “Cariye” (maids-in-waiting) at most times. The head of these women was called the “Hazinedar Usta” (Mistress of the Harem) who was the highest ranking of the cariyes. Throughout the day she both guard the quarters and served the Sultan. The rooms are located in the Harem Entrance hall; the two seaside rooms adjoining the hall and the rooms located at the landside were used by cariyes.

The first room was called “Mother of pearl room” for its beautiful wooden furniture inlaid with mother of pearl. The cabinets placed at the both ends of the main table, was made with a kind of parquetry technique called “Eser-i Istanbul” in which tortoise shells were used for the background of the relief. The mirrored cabin and writing desks are of Damascus style, embellished with a relief of almond shaped wood outlined with fine silver wires.

The second corner room at the landside of the Hall was also allocated to the use of cariyes; this room contains a collection of furniture made with parquetry style, which was traditional in the southern states of the Ottoman Empire. In this traditional style, wood of varying colors is cut into tiny, micrometric size pieces and then joined into a geometrical composition. This very fine parquetry workmanship can be seen in all of the pieces in this room.

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



WEB SITE : National Palaces Administration

MORE INFO & CONTACT
E-Mail : millisaraylar@tbmm.gov.tr
Phone : +90 212 236 9000
Fax : +90 212 2593292

These scripts and photographs are registered under © Copyright 2017, respected writers and photographers from the internet. All Rights Reserved.

GAZANFER AĞA MADRASA

Saraçhanebaşı, Fatih - İstanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°00'58.7"N 28°57'19.6"E / 41.016306, 28.955444



PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM

Established by Gazanfer Ağa in 1599, it includes a small medrese, the türbe of the founder, and a charming sebil with handsome grilled windows. Gazanfer Ağa was the younger brother of Cafer Ağa, whose medrese we saw next to Haghia Sophia. He was Chief of the White Eunuchs in the reign of Sultan Mehmet III. Gazanfer was the last of the White Eunuchs to control affairs in the Saray, for after his time the Chief Black Eunuch became the dominant figure.

The Gazanfer Ağa complex, which consists of an Ottoman medrese, a shrine and a fountain in Saraçhanebaşı, was restored as the new structure and  re-opened in 1989. Gazanfer Ağa Complex, which was probably built by the Architect Davut Ağa between 1590 and 1591, is one of the rare examples without a mosque in the center. It was restored many times after the fire of 1782 for various reasons.

Gazanfer Ağa built a small medrese and his own turbe near the Aqueduct of Valens and at a short distance from a small hammam designed by Mimar Sinan. Built in 1599, the Gazanfer Ağa Complex contained a medrese (religious school), sabil (water fountain) and a turbe (cemetary). The contrast in the typically Ottoman architecture, with its multiple domes and small turrets, is amplified by the shadowing Roman aqueduct next door.

It is the first place in Ottoman architecture where the patron’s tomb was built next to his work. The dodecagonal plan tomb was built with cut küfeki stone and it contains three sarcophagi. The madrasah with 17 rooms, which fulfilled its main function until 1914, was subsequently closed.

After the restoration between 1943 and 1944, the madrasah hosted the Belediye Museum until 1989. It was converted into the Cartoon and Humour Museum after the Belediye Museum.

Two triangular office towers rising over the ground floor pedestal and oriented to the roof garden on top of the ground floor. While their north and south façades are blank against the extreme weather conditions, other diagonal façades look to richly landscaped roof gardens.

Gazanfer Ağa and his brother Cafer Ağa were taken prisoner during the campaign of Hungary, and later entered the service of Şehzade Selim by converting into Islam. Şehzade Selim, before he ascended to the throne in 1566, invited Gazanfer Ağa and his brother Cafer Ağa to the palace to join his household, which they could do only as eunuch. Cafer died during surgery, but Gazanfer worked in senior positions for 30 year, before being executed by fatwa in the rebellion in 1603.

Gazanfer Ağa was the Head of the White Eunuchs had been captured when he was a boy; he became a servant of the future Sultan Selim II who convinced him to become an eunuch. With the favour of Nurbanu and Safiye Sultan he became one of the most influential persons in the government.

He served three sultans, but in 1603 Sultan Mehmet III had to face an almost open rebellion of the highest ranks of the army; they accused Gazanfer of ill advising the Sultan Mehmet III eventually was forced to sacrifice Gazanfer, who was murdered before his very eyes. Gazanfer was the last of the White Eunuchs to be the chief of the Harem; Sultan Mehmet III gave this role to a Black Eunuch.

Gazanfer Ağa was executed in 1603, having involved himself too deeply in the affairs of the Harem. The külliye was restored in 1945 and originally housed the Municipal Museum; it now serves as the Museum of Cartoons and Humour. Like most city museums, it has a rather provincial and neglected look, though some of the exhibits are not without interest. The cells of the medrese have had doors cut between them to form the galleries of the museum.

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



These scripts and photographs are registered under © Copyright 2016, respected writers and photographers from the internet. All Rights Reserved.