EXHIBITION

The Istanbul European Capital of Culture of 2010 is preparing to be host for another glorious exhibition…

Kremlin Palace Treasures are in the Topkapı Palace…


The Topkapı Palace which had been the center of the state administration of the Ottoman Empire for nearly four centuries, is preparing to host the masterpieces of the Kremlin Palace. The exhibition “Kremlin Palace Treasures are in the Topkapı Palace” is inviting all residents of Istanbul to be the witnesses of the great meeting of the two palaces.


The exhibition which will be implemented within the activities of ‘Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency, The Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums’ is going to meet with the art-lovers on Friday the 12th, March 2010 at the Privy Stables section of the Topkapı Palace.


After the “Ten Thousand Years of Iranian Civilization, Two Thousand Years of Common Heritage” exhibition which was financially supported by the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency, this second exhibition was formed with the objects that belong to the 16th-17th centuries, the peace period between the Ottoman and Russian empires. Approximately one hundred objects will be displayed in the exhibition, showing the czars with their different sides like being the head of the state and the army commander; during the palace ceremonies and their private lives and also their religious positions.


In the exhibition there are the ceremonial, warfare and hunting weapons which were produced for the czar in the armory, one of the first workshops of the Kremlin Palace in Moscow, which is still operated as the Armory Museum. There are also the ceremonial  harnesses  for the horses which were produced in another workshop named ‘the Superiority of Stables’; the objects produced by the craftsmen of the gold and silver workshops for the usage of the czars in their private and common lives; the coverings and clothes for both religious and casual usage which were sewed and ornamented with pearls and silver threads  by the master tailors and embroiderers, most of them were the daughters of the noble Russian families, under the supervision of the czarina in the Chamber of Czarina.


It is known that the woven, weapons, harnesses and golden jewelry which were imported from the Ottoman lands in 16th and 17th centuries were being registered at the private inventory of the ‘Chamber of External Affairs’ and the most valuable ones were separated for the state treasury; while some of them were used according to their principal functions in the official and casual life of the Palace, some others were used properly with domestic conditions. It is also known that in the 16th century, the Cavalry Units of Russian Army were equipped with the Ottoman weapons and armor and also the harnesses of the Ottoman army were used by the Russians with appreciation; Ottoman fabrics were used by Russian tailors for casual or religious clothing and interior place coverings and also were used at the surface coatings of the horse blankets, saddles, scabbards, shields and armbands of the armors; Ottoman jewelry was used at the daily and the religious life. The objects forming a little part of the Turkish art collection including the weapons like swords, helmets, daggers and the harnesses, jewelry, pocket watches, basins, ewers, ink-holders which had been added to the inventories of Kremlin Palace pursuant to the diplomatic and trade relations between two countries are meeting with the visitors in Istanbul where they were first produced at.
 

The exhibition: “Kremlin Palace Treasures are in the Topkapı Palace” is open to visit every day between 09:00 - 19:00 in the Topkapı Palace except Tuesdays until 7th of June, 2010.


The Kremlin Palace Museum will be hosting the unique pieces of the Topkapı Palace too.


The Ottoman Palace objects of the same period will visit the Palace of Czardom in the exhibition which will be organized with the support of the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency and with the cooperation of the Topkapı Palace Museum and the Kremlin Palace Museum.


The exhibition “Topkapı Palace Treasures in the Kremlin Palace” which will be organized in May 26 – August 15, 2010 at the Kremlin Palace Museum will include 106 objects containing the pieces about the Sultanate symbols, personal belongings and palace lives of the Ottoman Sultans.


Exhibitions in the Topkapı Palace are guiding to the future while enlightening the past.


The exhibitions in which the collections of the two important museums of the world; Topkapı and Kremlin will be presented mutually to the visitors for the first time are proving the qualification of the past affairs between Turkey and Russia and also carrying a great meaning for improving it for the future.


The Topkapı Palace had hosted the exhibition “Ten Thousand Years of Iranian Civilization, Two Thousand Years of Cultural Heritage” between the dates December 2, 2009 and February 5, 2010. In the exhibition which was organized in two parts called ‘Pre-Islamic Period’ and ‘Post-Islamic Period’ with approximately 300 pieces showing the traces of all of the civilizations existed in Iranian geography, the masterpieces certifying the diplomatic and cultural relations between Iran and Turkey also took place.


Now it is time for exploring the Topkapı Palace again:


The Topkapı Palace which was the official residential of the Ottoman sultans beginning from Mehmed the Conqueror till Sultan Abdülmecid who was the thirty-first sultan, was used as the center of the state administration, education and art of the Empire for nearly 400 years.


The Topkapı Palace had been formed on a field measured approximately 700.000 square meters on the Byzantine Acropolis after a while of the conquest of Istanbul by Mehmed the Conqueror, between the years 1460 and 1478. It was planned with a four-courtyard system passed from each other. According to this plan, the entrance of the Palace to the  First courtyard (Parade Square) is from Bab-ı Hümayun (The Imperial Gate) located at a close position to Hagia-Sophia , the slope (Çizme Gate) located at the right side of the courtyard going to the Privy Gardens of the Palace and the Cebehane Square. The Imperial Order of Gülhane had been read here. Today’s Kimyahane (The Chemistry Lab) which is positioned at the right side of the courtyard and seen after passing the Çizme Gate, was the old oven of the Palace. At the opposite of this building, there were the firewood store, the guild of mat-makers and the mint which were located between the Church of St. Irene and the ramparts. The Tiled Pavilion which was built by Mehmed the Conqueror is located at the place where the Archeological Museum exists in the present. There were several gardens and pavilions of different periods in the fields of the Palace surrounded by the ramparts. Only the Parade Pavilion located at the top of the ramparts, the Basket Makers' Pavilion located at the shore and the pedestal of the Pearly Pavilion could reach to present-time.


Bab’üs-Selam (The Gate of Salutation) is the entrance to the second courtyard. This gate is also the entrance of the Museum. The courtyard is surrounded by canopies. The Tower of Justice and Divan-ı Hümayun (The Imperial Council Hall) in which the state issues were discussed exist here. There are the kitchens of the Palace at the right side of this courtyard which is also known Divan Square. After the entrance from the Gate of Salutation, there is a path on the left going to the Privy Stables of the Palace (Istabl-ı Amire). Furthermore, the Beşir Agha’s Mosque takes place there. When returning to the courtyard, there are the entrances of the Harem and the ‘Guild of the Halberdiers with Tresses’ near Divan-ı Hümayun. Next to Divan-ı Hümayun, the building of the Exterior Treasure (The Divan Treasure) takes place.


In this courtyard, there is also The Gate of Felicity (Bab'üs-Saade) which is the entrance of the third courtyard - also known as Enderun. After passing the Gate of Felicity, there is a building at the opposite side called the Private Audience Chamber of the Sultan. Behind it there is the Library that is built and donated to Enderun Aghas by Sultan Ahmed III. At the right side, there is the Dormitory of Seferli and the Treasury Building which is also called as the Pavilion of the Conqueror. Today, sultans’ clothes are exhibited at the Dormitory of Seferli.  Also, the Dormitory of Kilerli, the old Dormitory of Hazineli, the Privy Chamber of Sultan and the buildings next to them can be found on this courtyard. The Dormitory of Kilerli is used as the Directorate of the Topkapı Palace Museum. Beginning from the 19th century, the Privy Chamber of the sultans achieved a certificate as a holy place in which the Sacred Relics were conservated. The building still keeps its position. Furthermore, the Aghalar Mosque; the mosque of Enderun Aghas follows this group of construction as the Library of manuscripts now.


The Third Courtyard opens to the fourth one with two gaps near the Directorate of the Museum. This courtyard was formed with the terraces unlikely the other courtyards. At the highest terrace of the set, there are the Circumcision Room, the Pavilions of Baghdad and Yerevan which are positioned around a marble yard. At the second set which is also known as the Tulip Garden; there are the Tower of Head-Physician, the Sofa Kiosk (The Kiosk of Mustafa Pasha) and a mosque called Sofa Mosque which was used by the servants of the Enderun Courtyard. The kiosk which was built just next to this mosque is the Mecidiye Kiosk. This Kiosk overlooking to the sea is the last kiosk of the Palace which was built by Sultan Abdülmecid.


One of the most important sections of the Topkapı Palace is the Harem, which has entrances from the second and the third courtyards. The Harem was formed with the several kiosks, rooms, dormitories, baths and the service buildings that were constructed in 16th, 17th and the 18th centuries.

The Topkapı Palace was attached to the ‘Directorate of the Istanbul Historical Monuments’ and transformed into a museum by Atatürk’s order in April 3, 1924 to be opened to the visit of the public and some parts of it were opened to the visitors after some restorations in the year 1924.