Topkapi Palace -Istanbul, Turkey
639 reviews
October 29, 2024
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.
November 23, 2024
Everyone should see
3
August 30, 2023
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!)
3
1
January 13
Impressive
2
September 19, 2023
Really interesting and beautiful place!
3
October 14, 2023
The most beautiful place in Istanbul, very unique palace, can’t even compare it to any other.
3
October 9, 2023
Must place to visit
3
August 10, 2023
Too expensive
4
3
October 24, 2024
A very beautiful, interesting place, definitely worth a visit. The territory is large, you can walk for a long time, including take a snack and be sure to have water. By the way, St. Irene's Cathedral is located on the territory of the complex and its visit is included in the price. A stunning place, makes a strong impression, a sense of eternity, a piece of ancient Rome, especially after the splendor and wealth of the palace.
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5
1
January 2
Positive:
1) a very beautiful place. There is a landscaped park, architecture, and a view of the Bosphorus.
2) Interesting and meaningful content of museums. Including absolutely unique relics.
3) An audio guide in many languages, including Russian, is included in the ticket price.
Minuses:
1) Queue to enter. (Maybe not so big on normal days, but I was on holidays)
2) The entrance fee is very high.
3) Very high prices at the coffee stall on the premises.
4) Some of the audio guide's positions were unavailable in Russian.
Despite the disadvantages, I definitely recommend this museum.
You need to set aside almost a whole day for a visit. There are a lot of interesting things.
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3
October 14, 2024
It's a wonderful place, buy tickets online, the queue can be long. Conceptually, it is 4 courtyards with a bunch of buildings and between them gardens, fountains, trees. It is very pleasant to walk from building to building, beautiful views of the city. Put in at least 3 hours, or even more. Despite the high price, it's worth it, because you will spend a lot of time there (unlike, for example, St. Sophia, where you will spend a maximum of 40 minutes, and the cost is the same). The only drawback is weak and absent lighting in many halls, of course the exhibits are illuminated, but in some visits it is just dark- if it is sunny and the day is not critical, but in the afternoon I even had to light myself with a flashlight in some places
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6
1
November 11, 2024
Definitely worth a visit to this complex, although the prices, of course, bite. You can find an excursion ticket, it will be cheaper, but it will still cost a decent amount, at least 54 euros. Inside, the largest and most interesting part is the harem, but there are also beautiful pavilions, including furnished ones. Excellent patterned tiles and mosaics, partially preserved furniture and household items, interesting and unusual plumbing. Additional collections also deserve attention. There are warning signs in places where Islamic religious precepts must be observed, and headscarves are also given free of charge. It's almost impossible to get around everything thoughtfully during the day, only if you run, but the photos will turn out cool.
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4
November 3, 2024
A very majestic palace of the sultans with an attached harem. It is important to take into account that a separate day should be allocated for visiting, since the territory is very large with many buildings and interesting expositions. We were in the area for about 6 hours. There is no restaurant or cafe on site. Tickets can be purchased on the territory of the palace at the ticket office, which is located to the left of the main entrance.
See original · Русский
4
1
February 25
This is the central attraction of the city, but the price of 2000 lire seems to be too high.
The ticket includes a visit:
- Topkapi Palace itself, which has several exhibitions (Muslim shrines, jewelry, weapons, clothes);
- harem (quite interesting considering the habitat and especially for fans of TV series);
- St. Peter's Cathedral Irina (unfortunately, there are only bare walls inside and there is almost no restoration).
Russian Russian audio guide is frankly bad - there are a lot of recordings not in Russian, but in Polish or Czech. It's easier to choose English.
In terms of time, it actually takes 6 hours, taking into account the queues for tickets and at the entrance (in winter they were about 1 hour).
It is worth a visit as the main attraction.
If possible, it makes sense to take a guide - it costs at least twice as much, but it will be much more interesting. Plus, there will be more time for exhibits, so you don't have to waste time waiting in line for tickets.
By the way, if you are looking for a city guide, ask if he has a license for the palace. It turned out that not everyone has it.
The territory of the palace is large, so it's better to start walking around from the right side and move like that to the very last courtyard.
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November 11, 2024
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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4
January 6
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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4
June 30, 2024
A place with a history, interesting. Many M.B. are familiar from Turkish sermals. In Sultanahmet district near St. Sophia. But the organization is very lame. The Internet on the territory is poorly caught (perhaps because of the crowds of people), there is free wi-fi, but these are tears. It is better to take the audio guide provided by the museum, it is connected to another network and mostly catches, only without headphones this phone is an audio guide, it is inconvenient, and there is very little information. Russian Russian was replaced by some kind of strangely intelligible speech in a language close to, but not Russian, in the part of the exposition. Prices for foreigners are 6 (six, Carl) times higher than for locals, and the locals check the ID for each ticket, they will not be able to slip through. It is better to read about the palace in advance and look cleanly here and not at the tourist peak.
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6
September 17, 2024
My dream came true, I finally visited the Topkapi Palace. Of course, I recommend this place to visit, everything is very beautiful in the Palace, the well-kept garden, the view of the Bosphorus is magnificent. In general, you will see everything for yourself.
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1
1
February 28
The palace certainly surprises! Every inch of its territory is steeped in history, and you can feel it! It's great that a lot of interior items, household items, and clothes have been preserved! I looked at everything with pleasure! The only negative is the price! Very expensive....!)
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1
January 21
There are a lot of exhibits, beautiful places, and we learned a lot about history, even though we watched the famous TV series. It was very interesting to walk around the places where the main characters were and walk along that golden path ourselves.
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January 6
Starting from January 1, 2025, the ticket price has increased to 2,000 lira per person (with a visit to the harem included in the price). The money is unrealistic, considering that the price for Turks is 350 lira. for this money, you get free movement throughout the territory, but keep in mind that you will not see anything special, 80% of the rooms are closed and inaccessible. There are 5-6 beautiful halls, the rest are ruins where it was once beautiful. Many halls have been turned into museums, where dishes, clothes and weapons are simply beautifully hidden behind glass. It's not very convenient for self–study, of course, it's better to take a guide - you won't find detailed descriptions in any languages anywhere. The audio guide is modest, it will tell you only a little about certain exhibits.
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4
January 6
a truly magical place. from the very first steps, you realize that you have found yourself in a royal place. an abundance of stones, colors, fountains, flowers... an unforgettable experience. and the balconies of the palace offer stunning views of the water from above.
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3
October 31, 2024
Everything is very beautiful and luxurious. A beautiful park. Clear. Well, as in any palace. The queues in September are huge, but this is quite expected. The price, of course, is also quite high.
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2
1
December 28, 2024
We got a lot of emotions when visiting Topkapi Palace. We took a guided tour and immersed ourselves in the atmosphere of the palace. We were impressed by the equipment of the palace and the thoughtfulness of each of the four courtyards.
The decoration and equipment of the palace is amazing, running water with hot and cold water, a hammam with baths.
The palace is filled with history, tragedies and intrigues.
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3
January 28
Topkapi Palace was built in the XV century, during the time of Sultan Mehmed II, when the Byzantine Empire fell from the Ottoman Turks and it was necessary to build something worthy of the new sultan. This palace impresses with its beauty, magnificent oriental architecture, gardens and sea views. It gained its prosperity during the reign of Sultan Suleiman, who worked here, met ambassadors and guests, and spent his free time with his wives, children, and concubines in this palace. Hurrem Sultan was the only woman in the East who went from a concubine to the legitimate wife of Sultan Suleiman. This story can be seen in the movie Magnificent Century.
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1
February 16
Everything is very decent, as much as possible in the historical part of the city. The most important thing is the convenient location, all cultural monuments are within walking distance.
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December 12, 2024
I've been dreaming of coming here for 12 years! Since I'm a fan of the series (it's clear which one)))) I was sooo interested! I will not retell the historical facts - those who are interested will see for themselves. I will say about the benefits: the first and most important thing is that there is a public toilet on the territory of the palace! I was in the museum for 4 hours, but in good weather you can go for the whole day. There are benches where you can relax and have a snack (you can take it with you or buy it, but the price, you know, will be for tourists ...) Russian Russian audio guide - they gave out a smartphone as a pledge of a passport, but he did not tell some rooms in Russian. You can download the application, everything is in Russian. Of the disadvantages, the ticket price is cosmic, in terms of rubles, the ticket came out over 5,500 (with a harem). There's nowhere to charge your phone!!! The harem is not completely open.
See original · Русский
December 7, 2024
It is not worth its price from the word at all. For foreign citizens, the entrance fee (plus the harem) is 1,700 lire, which is about 5,000 rubles. There are various exhibitions in the palace itself (dishes, clothes, calligraphy, weapons), not a very large collection. The most interesting thing is the harem, which can be completed in 30 minutes. Free audio guide - about nothing (several offers per room, not in every room). At the same time, there are crowds of people, it's noisy. It is better not to walk in the rain, because the expositions are in different blocks, between which it is not convenient to run in the rain.
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December 20, 2024
Definitely need to see. A big plus is that when you buy a ticket, they give you an audio guide. Not necessarily a tour guide, a group. I was walking alone, and the audio guide told me everything I needed.
The nuance is only the lira. The nearest exchanger is on Sultanahmet, which, in principle, is not far on foot.
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3
November 5, 2024
One of the key attractions. The entrance now costs 1,700 lira per person (that is, about 5,000 rubles), they give an audio guide (but it is not wow). Of course, you need to visit. A magnificent palace and park, where 25 Ottoman sultans (that is, the absolute majority) lived and ruled for 400 years. For a leisurely walk + two queues (for tickets and for an audio guide) it is worth laying about 3-4 hours.
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1
February 6
The magnificent palace complex is perfectly preserved. There are audio guides and guided tours. Definitely recommend a visit!!!! But it became very expensive(
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1
November 22, 2024
I was there on an excursion where the palace and the entrance to the harem were included. Of the minuses, the excursions take place during rush hour and for such a large palace, well, 1-1.5 hours of free time is nothing. It also started raining at that time. You need to go there with an excursion and separately yourself on the second day in the morning there are no people yet, there are a lot of museums, there you need to allocate a day for its inspection separately. To see and feel enough, you really need to be there a lot of time
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1
October 9, 2024
The entrance is 1700 liras for an adult, 190 liras for a child, 10 times higher than for locals, the territory is well-groomed, there is nothing to show, a lot of people, did not make an impression, for such money, it is not worth visiting. The Turks were so eager to destroy the Roman heritage that for hundreds of years, they did not really produce anything, a couple of palaces and several mosques, destroying the previous culture
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6
February 28
What I want to say is, of course, it's very beautiful, but tickets to the territory are VERY expensive for foreigners. Of course, I was there when the dollar was under 100, but 2000 lire per person ... an audio guide in different languages is attached to the ticket, but in some it worked, in others it didn't. If you are a fan of the magnificent century, then at the entrance you immediately need to go to the right to see the harem 😉 Topkapi territory is very beautiful, the museum is informative, I advise you to see everything)
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October 4, 2024
One of the most visited places in Istanbul. The price of the entrance ticket for September 2024 is 1,500 Turkish lira. But the palace is worth a look. My examination took more than 5 hours - there is something to see. It is better to buy a ticket online, arrive at 9 a.m., then you will not have to stand in queues, and you can also download an audio guide, it will be easier to navigate the labyrinths of the palace. It is a very atmospheric and interesting place.
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1
1
December 13, 2024
A pleasant place, rich historically.
You can walk for several hours and everything will be interesting.
The views are amazing and the photos are cool))
Be sure to visit this place
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3
January 28
It's a very atmospheric place. Especially if you like the TV series "Magnificent Century". It is better to take an excursion, it is also interesting without it, but not informative. We'll take a guide next time.
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1
November 12, 2024
The first thing that surprised me was the price of an entrance ticket - 1,700 lira per person. The two of us go for almost 10 minutes. And that's not all. If you want to see the harem room inside, then get ready to give another 600 lire per person. The territory is large, there are a lot of people, the audio guide sometimes speaks a foreign language, although you exhibit Russian. In general, blurred sensations
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1
May 27, 2024
This is an amazing place where you plunge into history from the inside. I highly recommend visiting the museum in the morning (come to the opening) there are not many people, the opportunity to take a photo without a crowd. Another great idea was that we first visited the harem, and only then went through the palace (again because of the crowd of people. The harem has small rooms and is very stuffy, so the fewer people there are, the more comfortable it is to enjoy the story). The place is definitely worth a visit. Tickets are expensive, it is possible to take an audio guide ( 100 euros deposit or passport)
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4
1
December 25, 2024
This place is a must-visit, definitely. Keep in mind that navigation is not very clear, go everywhere and get a ticket to all parts of the complex.
Very nice view of the city. You can also just sit in the park and enjoy the atmosphere.
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October 9, 2024
Hi!
Well, I'm sorry, this is an iconic place!
And not only for fans of the Magnificent Century series, but also for all history lovers and other onlookers!
Here, at one time, the history of the Mediterranean was created and not only!
I recommend you to visit.
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1
1
February 21
Of course, those who want to watch history and plunge into the "Magnificent Century" will do anything. The price on 02/19/2025 is 2000 liras (6000 rubles per person). It includes the territory, the harem and the Church of Aya Irina. They don't sell separately, only the complex. An audio guide is included in the price. But at the time of our visit, many locations were closed (almost half), and the price was not reduced.
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April 19, 2024
Entrance to the Topcaps 1500 lire - general overview + harem. The territory is very beautiful, exhibitions with decorations, dishes, weapons have been made. The views of the Bosphorus from the balconies are charming, the ornaments, tiles, and paintings in the buildings are very beautiful. It is necessary to lay 3-4 hours for inspection.The audio guide is free, all the musical notes are translated into Russian. There are crowds on Saturday and Sunday, you need to go on Monday, he has to work, fewer people. The entrance to the attractions is paid only in lira. Take care of the exchange earlier
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14
1
January 15
Beautiful historical place. Palaces, chambers, parks... you need to see with your own eyes. Admission is paid and all rooms are included in the price. You can walk for a long time, or you can get around everything quickly.
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December 1, 2024
A beautiful and interesting place, if you go with a guide, you will pass without waiting in line... And so there are very long queues to get inside, however, as well as to all historical places, so plan ahead, you won't get through everything in a couple of hours, take food and water with you. And keep in mind that there are museums inside the palace where you need additional rest
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October 20, 2024
It's amazing from the outside, inside there are just showcases with various exhibits, it's a pity that the atmosphere of the palace itself is not reproduced at least approximately. The tickets are super expensive, and they also ask for a passport as a deposit for the audio guide.
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November 5, 2024
The beauty and grandeur of the palace are indescribable, we really enjoyed walking there, it was very interesting to plunge into the history of Turkey. Come, you won't regret it
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3
1
May 13, 2024
It's expensive, 1500 rubles for guests is too much. Of course, it is interesting to visit with a guide, go through the guide without queuing, but all this is available to holders of visa and master cards abroad. And that means we carry cash (1500 rubles) to the cashier. From 9-10 is the optimal time, buses with groups are still on the way and you can have time to buy a ticket at the ticket office without queues. Next, a free audio guide turns out to be a pledge according to the passport (whoever warned about this in advance (besides, the audio guide for rent is an Android phone with downloaded audio tracks that are convenient to listen to with headphones - not a word about it)). The staff also helps to install an alternative mobile application on your phone and activate the QR audio guide from the ticket. Only then does a new problem begin - the connection inside the museum (lte or WiFi) is only at the gate, and the tracks swing for a long time. And if the connection is broken, the audio track either did not download, or was duplicated into the phone. There is no indoor connection. There is no WiFi coverage for 1500l. In addition, some audio tracks for the menu in Russian play Polish content (apparently, it looks like one fig to the developers). The narrator himself is not interesting. Information for 1500l is scarce. The numbers of the records (exhibits) inside the desired objects are not visible and are not explicitly marked. Queues: if you are a cunning foreigner with a visa card or a master and walked past the queue to enter with a free pass, then inside you will still be queuing for the necessary exhibits due to poor logistics in building an incoming inspection (visitors move chaotically from object to object inside the museum and create queues). Of course, the place is beautiful, significant, but the organization for 1500 rubles from the nose is disgusting. Our advice: buy a good Russian-speaking guide (not all the guides inside told their groups in Russian interestingly) or, at worst, take a free audio guide in exchange for a passport with headphones (and get ready to look for numbers on the right exhibits and listen to Polish in the tracks).
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10
July 19, 2024
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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3
2
November 10, 2024
A beautiful, historical place. Important rooms such as the Sultan's bedroom and the Hurrem are not shown. The ticket is expensive. The audio guide is not for all expositions
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3