The
Topkapı Palace is a large palace in
Istanbul,
Turkey, that was the primary residence of the
Ottoman sultans for approximately 400 years (1465–1856) of their 624-year reign.
[3]As well as a royal residence, the palace was a setting for state occasions and royal entertainments. It is now a museum and as such a major tourist attraction. It also contains important holy relics of the Muslim world, including Muhammed's cloak and sword (photography prohibited). The Topkapı Palace is among the monuments contained within the "
Historic Areas of Istanbul", which became a
UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, and is described under UNESCO's criterion iv as "the best example[s] of ensembles of palaces [...] of the Ottoman period."
[4]
