Istanbul's most famous attraction, the vast Topkapi Palace in Sultanahmet was the hub of Ottoman power for three centuries. Visit the gleaming Treasury, Mother of Sultan's apartment and the sultans' "family tree" of portraits. The Harem is well worth the extra ticket.
In 1453 the Ottoman Turks under Mehmet II conquered the city and made it their capital. They built the Topkapi Palace as their home, overlooking the Istanbul Bogzi and the Marmara Sea, and it became the political nerve-centre of the Ottoman Empire. Under the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent (1520-1566), the Empire reached its peak, spreading from the gates of Vienna in the west to the frontiers of Persia in the East.
Throughout the period of Ottoman rule, the Topkapi Palace remained the ruler's official home. Continually modified and reinterpreted by successive generations of rulers, it is no wonder it ended up so large and ornate.
Alas, only a small part of the original palace can now be appreciated, since many of the buildings were ravaged by fire and others have been demolished, although the original floor plan can still be discerned. It is built around a triple courtyard which integrates, segregates and defines the palace's residential, ceremonial and functional organisation.