Topkapi palace was the center of government for the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. It is located in
Istanbul on the Bosporus Sea and is now a large museum. It was really like a small town surrounded by walls, and
included different courts, parks, a treasure room, a bakery, a hospital, a library, kitchens, stables, and more,
in addition to the Sultan’s (Emperor’s) private quarters.
Mosques are Muslim places of worship. There were many mosques built around the Ottoman Empire. There are a
variety of different styles, but many of them have domes and minarets, which is a tall tower used to call
Muslims to prayer five times per day. There are no pictures or images in mosques, as this would be against the
religion of Islam, but there may be intricate designs and Arabic calligraphy. Arabic is the language of the
Quran, the holy book of Islam. The mosque in the picture is the famous Hagia Sophia, which was a church until
the Ottomans conquered Constantinople in 1453 and converted it into a mosque.
Bath rooms (not bathrooms!) were popular, and the Haseki Hurrem baths in Constantinople were a place to go for
a good steam bath. There were hot rooms and cool rooms. Hidden furnaces provided the heat for the hot rooms,
where you could relax and enjoy the heat of the steam or get a massage. The cool rooms were where you entered or
exited the hot rooms, so your body temperature could adjust more slowly.
Suleiman the Magnificent ruled in the 16th century, during the Empire’s most powerful and successful period. He
was Sultan (Emperor) of the Empire for 46 years. He was known for standing up for justice, and choosing his
assistants based on their abilities rather than family connections or wealth. He supported the arts and was
himself a respected poet and goldsmith.
In Topkapi Palace, the harem was where the women lived. Sometimes there might have been hundreds of women
living there: the Sultan’s wives, female relatives, female servants, and others. They received an education
there. The word “harem” comes from the Arabic word meaning “forbidden,” since no men other than the Sultan were
allowed to enter the harem. The girl in the picture is the daughter of Suleiman the Magnificent.
