The Second Largest Church After Hagia Sophia: The Hagia Irene located in the outer courtyard of Topkapı Palace is the oldest church of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine). It was also the second largest church in Istanbul after Hagia Sophia. Hagia Irene, originally means “sacred peace” (Hagia Eirene), has a special meaning as the first place where Turkish museology was born. Hagia Irene, a typical Byzantine structure with its materials and architecture, was built on the site of an old temple in 330. During the reign of Emperor Justinianus, the Nika Revolt in 532 led to the devastation of both Hagia Sophia and the Hagia Irene, and two of them were rebuilt together. After the fall of Constantinople since the church was not converted into a mosque it was used as loot and gun depot (Harbiye Warehouse) for a long time.

We will visit the most interesting part of the Palace, which is Harem Section. The Topkapi Palace Harem is undoubtedly the most opulent part of the palace. A world of lavishly decorated marble hallways, arched doorways, and over 400 rooms. Read on to get an idea of the lavish lifestyle that was led by the Ottoman Sultans in the Harem. The Harem, build at the end of the 16th century, was a labyrinth consisting of around 300 magnificently tiled rooms, connected by courtyards and fountain gardens. Since Islam forbade enslaving Muslims, the majority of the harem women were Christians or Jews, mostly received as gifts from potentates and nobles. Especially girls from Circassia, the area now known as Georgia and Armenia, were favored for their dazzling beauty. After entering the Harem, the girls were schooled in and converted to Islam and received proper palace training: they were taught how to write, read, play an instrument, sing, dance and provide pleasure to the sultan.