Topkapi

5.0

3313 ratings

Rate this place

Ирина Качкина

Level 15 Local Expert

Beautiful views from palace, the harem is interesting to see, but is hard to find ways, it was even impossible to find a toilet, audio guide is not helpful. Prices for foreigners are high.

Артем Х

Level 20 Local Expert

It's gorgeous! But I don't recomend audio-guide - not so much information, some systems doesn't have headset. (if you want to get it - you must have documents (one document for one guide!)

Alimov Shohrukh

Level 9 Local Expert

The castle itself is amazing but, tickets are too damn expensive

Parisa G

Level 7 Local Expert

Impressive

Elina Aronova

Level 10 Local Expert

The most beautiful place in Istanbul, very unique palace, can’t even compare it to any other.

Jay

Level 6 Local Expert

Excellent

Александр

Level 8 Local Expert

Really interesting and beautiful place!

Volkan Demir

Level 6 Local Expert

Everyone should see

Александр Дрейк

Level 27 Local Expert

Must place to visit

Sergio Ramos

Level 9 Local Expert

Too expensive

Дарья Латышова

Level 10 Local Expert

I dreamed of visiting this particular palace, as I am a fan of the TV series "Magnificent Century". Entrance fees are expensive, but it's worth it! At the entrance, they give out audio guides on deposit, which is very convenient. You can slowly explore all the rooms and listen to an interesting story about them. Inside there is a cafe, souvenirs, you can drink coffee, relax. The palace itself and the view from it are beautiful. The harem and its life are very interesting. Tickets were not bought in advance, they were taken on the spot at the box office. The queue wasn't big, and it was moving very fast. We got pleasure and visual enjoyment from immersing ourselves in the era.

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Нурайым Тасыбаева

Level 5 Local Expert

It is impossible to go to Istanbul and leave without entering the Topkapı Palace. This is not just a museum, but a real historical center, where the rule of the Ottoman Empire took place. From the moment you enter, you feel the splendor, culture and way of life of your era. The palace is divided into several courtyards, each part has a separate History, Relic and atmosphere. The exhibits are rich: objects decorated with gold and silver, weapons, clothes, jewelry, sacred heirlooms (the Prophet's beard, sword) and household items used by the Sultans have survived. The Kharam section also gives a special touch-the architecture, tiles, layout and decor of the rooms are striking.

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риэлтор Татьяна Войнова

Level 10 Local Expert

The splendor of the Ottoman Empire! Topkapi Palace is not just a museum, it is a grandiose journey into the era of the sultans and the luxury of the Ottoman Empire. It's beyond words. The harem is like in the movie the magnificent century, but without luxury, this is a separate story. There are also incredible views of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. The terraces of the palace offer some of the best panoramic views in Istanbul. Incredible architecture and interiors. A rich collection of exhibits (treasures, relics, weapons). It's a huge complex, I've been walking around it for 5 hours, and if I come to Istanbul again, it will be the first place I'll go. The price is about 6 thousand rubles, but it's worth it. You won't regret it.

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crtv08

Level 12 Local Expert

A must-visit! Especially if it's your first time in Istanbul. Even if you do it again, there will always be a corner that you missed last time. The ticket costs 2,400 lira (October 2025), but it's worth it. There are many different exhibits: pots, sultans' clothes, jewelry, weapons, belongings and relics of the Prophet Muhammad. The harem is worth special attention - the numerous hammams with water supply and sewerage (15th century, however), the patterns on the walls, the decoration - everything is impressive. And, of course, beautiful photos with a view of the Bosphorus and the famous TV series will delight you!

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Dmitry L.

Level 12 Local Expert

A large palace complex, the main palace of the Ottoman Empire until the middle of the 19th century. It is advisable to set aside 5-6 hours for a full examination. We got to the moment of a colorful performance at the gate: drums, wars of the Ottoman Empire, etc. The audio guide is given as a passport deposit. Price: 2400 liras (50€). One of the main attractions of the city.

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Анна Кондрашова

Level 5 Local Expert

I couldn't save money on visiting the harem, but maybe it's for the best. Now Topkapi sells a comprehensive ticket to visit the palace, the harem and the church of St. Irina. You will be given a free audio guide only on the security of your passports(. We spent more than 3 hours on the territory. We came to the opening, so we were able to inspect half of the exposition and take good photos in the absence of tour groups and at our own pace. It was concluded that the exposition is constantly being updated and expanded due to the renovated premises (compared with the reviews of friends). The price of 2,400 liras per person is shocking, of course, but we are satisfied. We saw not only the park, architecture, but also a collection of weapons, dishes, household items, and awards. It's worth visiting at least once.

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Мария З.

Level 5 Local Expert

The Topkapi Museum made a strong impression! The magnificent architecture, stunning views of the Bosphorus and unique historical exhibits create an atmosphere of true immersion in the era of the Ottoman Empire. The halls are very interesting, especially with the palace treasures and relics. Definitely worth a visit — this is one of the most impressive places in Istanbul.

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Константин Миронов

Level 4 Local Expert

A large complex where you can enjoy not only architecture, but also several thematic collections (clothes, weapons, religious relics ...). It is best to set the time for inspection at least 3 hours. I lowered my rating due to the negative emotions caused by the audio guide (one of the worst among those I encountered in Istanbul). There are very few numbers for exposures that need to be entered in this audio guide, there are also numbers that are not in the audio guide or vice versa - there is an article, but there is no audio track. The audio guide itself can be obtained on the security of a passport or driver's license, or simply download the application using a QR code, but the problems with the application are the same.

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Софья

Level 12 Local Expert

A fairly large area. There are many buildings with museum exhibits. Interesting exhibits include weapons, clothing, jewelry, and Muslim relics. Interior and exterior decoration, furniture, dishes - everything is amazing, considering how old most of the objects and buildings are. The examination took 5 hours. There are a lot of visitors, but this was due to the Eid al-Adha holiday and weekends. It's better to go in the morning, people arrive later.

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Level 9 Local Expert

I was in Istanbul one day on an excursion, we visited this beautiful palace, it's really very beautiful, the view of the city and the strait is the most magnificent, we wanted to go this year with a girl (because we thought she wasn't there) but we came to the paid part, she remembered that she was and decided don't go a second time because of the prices. 2,400 lira at the time of July 2025 is too much, we were not ready to give 10k for such a pleasure on this trip. This time we are traveling by ourselves, without excursions and tours, so no. I'll say this, if you haven't been inside, it's definitely worth it, but if you have, it's better to go to a good restaurant for the money, there is, for example, Olden 1772 not far from here, believe me, the emotions will also be great. The photos were from a trip in 19, and I was more fascinated by the views back then, although interior decoration is a separate art. The rating is 4 only because of the prices, if they were more adequate it would be 5!

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Ксения

Level 15 Local Expert

Where else can you feel the history of the famous Hurrem Sultan and Sultan Suleiman in this place? Incredible views of the bay, you can explore historical objects of that time. Wander through the streets, look into the nooks and crannies. For fans of the Magnificent Century and Empire of Kesem series, I definitely recommend you to visit, as well as people who are interested in the history and culture of different countries.

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Серёга

Level 30 Local Expert

Topkapi Palace (Topkapı Sarayı) is a palace and park complex in the historical part of Istanbul, located on Cape Sarayburnu. Exhibits: Treasury — collections of precious stones, crowns and thrones of the padishahs, gold and silver dishes, weapons. For example, the Topkapi dagger with four large emeralds on the handle. Sacred relics are objects of religious worship brought from Mecca and Medina. Among them are the cloak of the Prophet Muhammad, his swords, letters, a tooth and a footprint. The Museum of Arms is a collection of firearms, helmets and armor that belonged to the sultans, heirs to the throne, viziers and dignitaries of the Ottoman Empire.

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Евгения с.

Level 9 Local Expert

A good museum, you can take a guide in different languages. Convenient location. Incredible architecture and total immersion in those years. Guided tours are available every hour, but you can enjoy the views and gardens nearby. There is a cafe, and of course a view of the Bosphorus

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Антон Андреевич

Level 17 Local Expert

The place attracts all tourists. History, exhibits, personal belongings of the Prophet Muhammad. Ticket prices are high, as are all museums for tourists, so a 5-day "passport" to all museums for 105 euros saves queuing time and the cost of visiting all major museums. You can purchase it at the checkout.

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Сергей Новиков

Level 8 Local Expert

It's very beautiful and informative. There are many unique exhibits, a huge diamond, a dagger with an emerald, a throne, etc. The views and architecture are amazing. The time calculation is at least 3 hours if you watch everything as quickly as possible, if with a guide and in detail, then for the whole day. The price bites 50 euros just for admission, but it was worth it!

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Şerif

Level 30 Local Expert

The historical building served for a long time as the most important palace of the Ottoman Empire Today, many areas have been opened for local and foreign tourists to visit The structure, which I visited 3-4 times at long intervals on different dates, does not satisfy me in general except for the sacred relics section, the contents of which should be used fully in every area of the beautiful palace December Although the structure covers a very large area, I can say that the area that sees the Bosphorus of Istanbul is the most beautiful In general, every area is well maintained Domestic tourists can visit with a museum card except for the harem section, there are various charging policies of the national palaces for foreign tourists Areas have been created for food and beverage supply in the interior, but seating areas are limited Jul, new formations would be nice by taking the cafes in Dolmabahçe palace as an example. There are several shops where souvenirs can be bought I recommend a visit

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Я на дзене

Level 10 Local Expert

This is the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, how can you not like it?))) But seriously, the palace is a complex of structures, residential and outbuildings, erected in the XV century by order of Sultan Mehmed II. After visiting the palace, you will learn about the daily life of its inhabitants, get acquainted with the customs and rules of the palace etiquette. You will see: the Divan meeting room, the sultan's chambers, the harem, the chambers of the Valide Sultan, countless rooms for various purposes, verandas, gazebos, farm buildings. And, of course, the stunning view of the Bosphorus. Even now, one can guess the former luxury and grandeur of the palace.

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Ira N.

Level 6 Local Expert

A stunning museum complex. The history of Turkey during the heyday of the Empire. The treasury of the rulers cannot be surpassed. Ceramics and paintings of the palace premises must be seen with your own eyes. In any case, it 's a crime to be in Istanbul and not visit Topkany. 😁😁😁 The visit is available on the Istanbul Museum Card (at the museum's ticket office, € 105 plus about 10 more museums within 120 hours of activation). An audio guide for foreign tourists is a passport deposit.

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Елена Кислицкая

Level 8 Local Expert

It's worth a visit. Count on the whole day. It's better to come to the opening in the morning, there are long queues later. An audio guide in Russian is provided on bail. Large beautiful territory, many exhibition halls. Lots of green parrots in the garden

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Светлана Измайлова

Level 8 Local Expert

A gorgeous place with stunning views of the Bosphorus! The ticket costs 2,400 lire, and the audio guide is free of charge, secured by a passport! As with all attractions, there are a lot of people! The place is a must-visit

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Torvendis

Level 11 Local Expert

A beautiful palace with a large exhibition. The audio guide in Russian is free, and it contains basic information. We went in the morning, 10 minutes before the opening, the queue was not big - 30 people at most. The entire palace + harem took about 5.5 hours of leisurely walking and viewing the exhibits. Tickets are not cheap, but this visit is definitely worth the money.

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Юрий Дк

Level 22 Local Expert

Top 5 Istanbul. An austere barn with beautiful works by craftsmen. Inside the building of the early sultans, a harem and three gardens. Many people come here to take a look at Christian and Muslim values. And just look at the huge diamond and the sword of King David with one eye.

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Дарина Ахмерова

Level 11 Local Expert

Visiting this palace was my dream! It's expensive, but it's worth it! You go and there's music from the BB in your head, you imagine all the characters... well, it's beautiful! And now for the fact: Clean, well-maintained territory There are many buildings to see A lot of museum artifacts Very beautiful I definitely recommend it to everyone!

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Voki

Level 10 Local Expert

One of the largest palaces in the center of Istanbul near Hagia Sophia. There is a view of the Bosphorus Strait from the back. It is not one large building, but a complex of relatively small buildings: a school, a harem, etc. There is a free guide (application) you can download (I did not succeed) or rent a phone with the application installed (a deposit of 50 euros or a passport). It is included in the e-pass for visiting

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Katerina Shakkum-Vedenina

Level 20 Local Expert

A beautiful palace museum! Very pleasant atmosphere! Gorgeous views!!! It was very interesting to visit! But I recommend coming early, because there are a lot of people and there may be queues. It's also ideal to take a certified guide and go through without queues.

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Алексей Вишняков

Level 8 Local Expert

The place is beautiful, but the guide does not work in the hammam. There are no numbers to listen to, although it would be very interesting. The guide works very poorly. Very often, the explanation is not about the place where the point at which it should be voiced is located. There are no questions about anything else. The place is beautiful)

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NADINE .

Level 6 Local Expert

If you're only there for the harem, then it's closed! The rooms of slaves, eunuchs, the hammam of the main concubine and a couple of rooms of the sultan are open in the harem, the rooms where the rest of the slaves lived are under restoration and there are not even any photos showing these rooms from the inside, it is simply closed. If it doesn't matter to you, it's worth going once for a check. But in comparison, it's poor, of course. In the church of Irina, everything is stripped to the bricks, too, there is nothing to see.

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Олеся С-кая

Level 17 Local Expert

A great place with an audio guide in any language, everything is very interesting and understandable, a lot of tourists, a place of worship. It's beautiful, well-groomed, the lawn is mowed, the flower beds are gorgeous

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София С.

Level 8 Local Expert

The Topkapi Palace is modest compared to the Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg. There is no sense of monumentality and luxury. Everything is simple, but made of expensive materials (marble). Decorations for three. The yard is modest, there is no garden, just lawns and a few shrubs. I didn't get into the rich sultan's life at all. The cost of a ticket per person in November 2025 is 50 euros. Walk there for an hour and nothing stunning or amazing.

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Юлия Анатольевна

Level 14 Local Expert

Of course, it is mandatory for all tourists to visit, but especially for fans of the Magnificent Century (Turkish t/s). I recommend taking an individual guide and immersing yourself in the harem life of the sultans)

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Татьяна

Level 5 Local Expert

The most beautiful museum complex! A palace, a treasury, a harem, an architectural museum and much more. To enter, we bought the Muzeum Pass Istanbul museum card, which in early March 2025 cost 105 euros for foreign tourists and included admission to several museums. We went around everything, so the purchase paid off. To avoid the queue in Topkapi itself, we bought a card on Istiklal Street in the monastery of the dervishes. We started walking around Topkapi at 10 a.m. It took us about 5 hours to explore everything, so it's better to plan a visit for the first half of the day. A lot of impressions, and the thought of seeing and hearing these walls takes your breath away completely! Without a doubt, this is one of the best museums in the world.

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Юлия Герасимова

Level 12 Local Expert

It's an atmospheric place with a lot of tourists, so it's better to come early. There may be queues. The palace reflects the architectural and cultural traditions of the Ottoman Empire. You can explore on your own without excursions, because navigation around the palace is very clear, there are guides in Russian

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Евгения Пучкова

Level 11 Local Expert

After reading the reviews of other visitors, I did not plan to visit the Topkapi Palace. But, as they say, the taste and color. I was pleasantly surprised. I was at the palace at the end of May. I liked it very much. Taking photos and videos in the palace is now allowed. And if you don't want to stand in a long queue, come early for the opening, at 9-10 o'clock. I really liked the halls with clothes from the time of the sultans - unusual and authentic. A large area for walking, a treasury, an armory, dishes, calligraphy, sacred relics. There is a beautiful exit and a view of the bay. Many people speak poorly about the audio guide in Russian. I did not take the audio guide, it was enough for me to read the descriptions that are located next to the exhibits and in the halls. But this is if you are familiar with Turkish or English. So I practiced reading in English. As they say, combining the pleasant with the useful. I highly recommend this place to visit - do not pay attention to the negative reviews. And if it is important for you to always have your own opinion, come, because it is always more interesting to see with your own eyes. At least it's worth seeing once.

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Тимур Исаев

Level 10 Local Expert

A historical place, once the active palace of the Sultans. It is a complex of several structures with its own territory and observation deck. Tickets were expensive in October 2024 (1750 per adult foreign guest). There are several expositions in the museums of the Topkapi Palace: the museum of clothes, paintings, weapons, jewelry, state gifts, as well as iconic attractions. I recommend definitely getting to the observation deck, the views are probably the best in Istanbul on the strait

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Артур Жаковщиков

Level 6 Local Expert

A big disappointment for a lot of money. For fans of the Magnificent Century, it's not worth going, there's practically nothing from the series and generally a minimum of information about Suleiman's rule. Yes, it is one of the main attractions of Istanbul and the Sultans. But in fact - empty houses with a minimum of decor, scuffed floors and crowds of tourists. It's like it's not the sultan's palace at all. There are many exhibitions of artifacts, and the halls where the empty ones lived. Special attention to the audio guide (as a deposit - passport or driver's license)- it's just a smartphone, and without headphones. Like listen from the speaker ) Half of the points of the story are in Turkish (taking into account the choice of Russian in the menu). The stories are dry, short, and uninformative. Half of the stories do not exist at all - there is simply no number of the object on the infotable. Compare our Peterhof, Yekaterininsky, or at least Vorontsovsky in Alupka - heaven and earth. The tour is good there, and the facilities are bright, memorable, and well-maintained. In general, it is worth going only if you have free time and extra money.

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Катя П.

Level 6 Local Expert

It's a large area, the tour took about 5 hours, it's better to look around in advance and assess where the water is sold and where the toilet is located, because everything is very scattered. The queues look big, but they move fast enough. You can get an audio guide, but for this you need to stand in another queue and give your passport or driver's license, but you can do without it. Everything is very beautiful, worth a visit.

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Кристина

Level 7 Local Expert

The palace complex is very large, and it took 4 hours to get around it. A ticket costs 2,000 Turkish lira for one adult (6600₽), which is very expensive. The ticket includes a tour of the entire complex with a harem + St. Irene's Church. They didn't pay separately, just the whole thing. When buying a ticket, the audio guide is free in Russian, but you must leave your passport as a deposit. The numbers with the object's number are entered into the audio guide and you can listen to it. Unfortunately, not all objects have audio recordings. The rooms where they used to live are now empty, or converted into museum rooms with shelves and exhibits under glass. Therefore, walk through empty halls, you will see bare walls, floors, and sometimes sofas. Nevertheless, it is an interesting and beautiful place. There is a free toilet on the territory of the palace. The queues at the entrance and at the ticket offices were small, they stood for up to 5 minutes (Monday). The ticket offices are open until 17:00, you can visit the kit until 18

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Nadin Sh

Level 8 Local Expert

It is a very beautiful and large palace. It has three courtyards, on the sides of the courtyards there are different exhibition pavilions and rooms with different purposes, a kitchen, a hammam, prayer rooms, etc. There is a mansion with living quarters in the far courtyard. The entrance to the museum costs 2000 rubles per person + a free audio guide. However, some locations in the guide are not in Russian, but in Hungarian, like. I paid with the Rosselkhoznadzor's unoin pay card. There is also a harem on the territory of the palace, with a separate ticket for 750 lire.

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Татьяна Трифонова

Level 12 Local Expert

You must definitely go there) if not for an excursion, then be sure to take your passport or license, because they only give you an audio guide instead of documents!!! The cost is 2400 liras, which is a bit expensive for me (but Istanbul is quite expensive ( And they don't accept cards, and they don't accept dollars either! It is the lira that is needed!!!

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Александр Цыплаков

Level 6 Local Expert

An interesting exposition, an atmospheric palace, but the price of 2,400 lira is exaggerated. A very popular place for tourists

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Topkapi

1065 reviews