For almost 4 centuries, Torkapi Palace was the main headquarters of Ottoman emperors. The name Torkapi translates from Turkish as ‘Cannon Gate’. Its construction started in 1459, on the spot where the walls of Constantinople were destroyed by the Ottoman artillery five years before.

In the times when the Ottoman Empire reached its peak, the Torkapi Palace was a kind of city within the city of Istanbul. As a part of this complex were a state treasury, huge library, mosque, and even a harem. Many artifacts from that period are preserved and are now on display in this museum. The most valuable item in the Torkapi Palace Museum is the sword of the prophet Muhammad, one of the most important relics of the Muslim world.