Palace · Istanbul, Turkey
Topkapı Palace
The Topkapı Palace or the Seraglio, is a large museum and library in the east of the Fatih district of Istanbul in Turkey. Built 1475. It drew 1,932,726 visitors in 2017.
Photo: Ninara via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Istanbul, Turkey |
|---|---|
| Type | Palace |
| Built | 1475 |
| Architect | Mehmed II |
| Area | Area: 0.35 km² |
| Annual visitors (2017) | 1,932,726 |
| Coordinates | 41.0130° N, 28.9840° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Topkapı Palace is known for
The Topkapı Palace or the Seraglio, is a large museum and library in the east of the Fatih district of Istanbul in Turkey.
About Topkapı Palace
The Topkapı Palace or the Seraglio, is a large museum and library in the east of the Fatih district of Istanbul in Turkey. From the 1460s to the completion of Dolmabahçe Palace in 1853, it served as the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire, and was the main residence of its sultans. Construction, ordered by the Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, began in 1459, six years after the conquest of Constantinople.
History
The palace complex is located on the Seraglio Point (Sarayburnu, سرای بورونی), a promontory overlooking the Golden Horn, where the Bosphorus Strait meets the Sea of Marmara. The terrain is hilly and the palace itself is located at one of the highest points close to the sea. During Greek and Byzantine times, the acropolis of the ancient Greek city of Byzantion stood here.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Topkapı Palace website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Istanbul |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Cengiz Topel Airport (KCO) |
| Distance from the airport | 60.6 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) · Pendik, Istanbul, Turkey · 18.7 miles away
- İstanbul Airport (IST) · Istanbul, Turkey · 22.3 miles away
- Hasan Polatkan Airport (AOE) · Eskişehir, Turkey · 115.8 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Turkey
More palaces
Frequently asked questions
What is Topkapı Palace?
The Topkapı Palace or the Seraglio, is a large museum and library in the east of the Fatih district of Istanbul in Turkey.
Where is Topkapı Palace located?
Topkapı Palace is in Istanbul, Turkey. Its coordinates are 41.0130° N, 28.9840° E.
How do I get to Topkapı Palace?
The nearest town is Istanbul, and the nearest airport is Cengiz Topel Airport (KCO), about 60.6 miles away (straight line).
When was Topkapı Palace built?
Topkapı Palace was built 1475.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topkapı_Palace — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170495 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://www.millisaraylar.gov.tr/Lokasyon/2/topkapi-sarayi — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.