Topkapı Palace: tickets, the Harem and visiting tips

Updated on October 1, 2026

Topkapı Palace stands on the tip of Istanbul's old city, between the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. Built between 1460 and 1478 under Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople, it was for almost four centuries the residence of the Ottoman sultans and the seat of government, until they moved to Dolmabahçe Palace in the mid-19th century. A museum since 3 April 1924, it is visited as a sequence of courtyards, pavilions and treasury rooms, a few minutes' walk from [Hagia Sophia](/fr/attractions/sainte-sophie-istanbul). The palace is closed on Tuesdays. For foreign visitors, the combined ticket for the palace, the Harem and [Hagia Irene](/fr/attractions/sainte-irene-istanbul) costs 2,750 Turkish lira (prices checked in October 2026). Allow half a day: 3 hours at least, 4 hours with the Harem.

Highlights

The Gate of Salutation and the Second Courtyard

After the Imperial Gate (Bab-ı Hümayun) and the First Courtyard, open to everyone in Ottoman times, the Gate of Salutation with its two pointed towers leads into the Second Courtyard. Here you will find the Divan hall, where the imperial council met, and the palace kitchens, a row of domed buildings and chimneys rebuilt by the architect Sinan after the fire of 1574.

The Harem

This closed quarter, home to the sultan, his mother, his wives, his children and their servants, has more than 400 rooms, only some of which are open: the Courtyard of the Black Eunuchs, the apartments of the Queen Mother, the Imperial Hall and rooms lined with Iznik tiles. It requires a separate ticket, included in the combined ticket.

The Treasury and the Sacred Relics

In the Third Courtyard, beyond the Gate of Felicity, the treasury rooms display the Topkapı Dagger, set with three large emeralds, and the Spoonmaker's Diamond (Kaşıkçı Elması). The Pavilion of the Sacred Relics holds objects revered in Islam, including a mantle attributed to the Prophet; the Quran is recited there continuously.

The Baghdad Kiosk and the Fourth Courtyard

Built for Murad IV after the capture of Baghdad in 1638, this pavilion faced with blue and white tiles stands in the Fourth Courtyard, the most private part of the palace. The neighbouring terraces offer the palace's finest view over the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Asian shore.

Infos pratiques

Tips

Prices for foreign visitors: combined ticket palace + Harem + Hagia Irene 2,750 TL; Harem only 1,050 TL; Hagia Irene only 1,050 TL; night tour 4,000 TL. Free up to age 6; reduced rate for students aged 7 to 25 with a student card (foreign students pay double the reduced rate, i.e. 500 TL for the combined ticket). Prices checked in October 2026 on the website of the National Palaces, which run the palace; they are revised several times a year. The combined ticket allows one entry per site. The Ministry of Culture's Müze Kart is not valid for the Harem, Hagia Irene or the night tour. Expect security checks at the entrance and queues at the ticket office around midday: buy your ticket online from the official National Palaces ticket office.

How to get there

Cankurtaran Mahallesi, Babıhümayun Caddesi No:1, Sultanahmet, Fatih, Istanbul. Tram T1 to Sultanahmet or Gülhane, then a 5 to 10-minute walk: you enter through the Imperial Gate, behind Hagia Sophia. From [Gülhane Park](/fr/attractions/parc-de-gulhane), a path climbs straight up to the palace's First Courtyard.