Through the residence of the Sultan’s eunuchs, follow me to the most hidden part of the Topkapi palace: the Sultan’s Harem. A labyrinth of marble doors, pools, bedrooms, libraries and narrow passages awaits behind the houses of the eunuchs, guarding the Harem of the Sultan.
The most beautiful and clever women of the kingdom were forced here to serve as concubine to the Sultan. A maximum of four women, chosen by the Sultan’s mother for health, manners and smartness, were educated to the rank of mother of the Sultan’s children. The Sultan, his Queen mother, the eunuchs and the concubines, lived in several of the 400 rooms of this secret city.
Isolated from the noise and the eyes of Istanbul, each of the inhabitants of the Imperial Harem were looking here for domination, pleasure, revenge, competition or pregnancy. Fascinating indeed, do not miss the additional entry ticket for the Harem when visiting the Topkapi Palace
Here, you finally reached the apartment of the princess: is she staring at you from behind this windows?
All pictures shot with Nikon 16-35 mm f/4 on D800 in a very lucky late afternoon of December 2013, devoid of tourists, about closing-time. Click to magnify.
Filed under: photography holiday, photography of architecture Tagged: artborghi harem, harem istanbul, imperial harem, turkish harem
