Sultan Mehmed (the Conqueror) built the Topkapi Palace between 1460 and 1478 after he Conquered Istanbul and it served as the residence of the Ottoman Sultans Until the 19th Century.Nowadays it serves as Topkapi Museum for local or foreign tourists.

I will write more about visiting information about the Topkapi museum rather than the history of it. It's a place that you must visit during your vacation in Istanbul.

Topkapi Palace museum visiting hours

Winter time: Starting from 30th of October until 15th of April

Museum, Harem, Hagie Irene is open between 9:00 am and 4:45 pm

*Ticket offices close at 4:00 pm

Summer Time: Starting from 15th of April until 30th of October

Museum, Harem, Hagie Irene is open between 9:00 am and 6:45 pm

*Ticket offices close at 6:00 pm

** Topkapi Palace Museum is closed on every Tuesdays.

*** Topkapi Palace museum is open all year long. The museum will be opened after 1 pm on the 1st day of Ramadan and on the 1st day of the festival of Sacrifice.

Topkapi Palace museum tour plan

Topkapi Museum Entrance Fee

Ticket price is 40 TL  (Turkish lira)

Foreign children under 12 years old can enter to Topkapi Palace museum free of charge if they are accompanied by an adult who bought a paid ticket.

*Harem section is not included in the main ticket.

Harem section costs additionally 25 TL - Children under 6 years old can enter to Harem free of charge if they are accompanied by an adult who bought a paid ticket.

Hagia Irene church ticket is 20TL

Museum Pass is another option to enter to Topkapi Museum. It costs 85 TL and covers many museums in Istanbul such as Hagia Sophia, Istanbul Archeological Museum, Turkish and Islamic art museum.

Check this post for more details about Museum Pass Istanbul.

Topkapi Museum Collections

Arms and Weapons, Chinese and Japanese porcelains, Copper and Goldplate Copper kitchen utensils, European porcelains, Imperial treasury, Istanbul glassware, and porcelain, Pavilion of the holy mantle and the holy relics, portraits of the sultans and the paintings, silverware, Sultan's caftans, fabrics, carpets and sacred coverings can be seen in the museum.

For more details or permission please get in touch with the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism Topkapı Museum Directorate

Address: Sultanahmet, Fatih / ISTANBUL

Tel : (0212) 512 04 80

Fax : (0212) 528 59 91

E-Mail: [email protected]

Enjoy your travel to Turkey!