The Topkapi Palace

The third day is a sunday. As usual we start the day by relishing the breakfast and the view. Then quickly to the Topkapi palace (built 1459-1465, 10 minutes by foot), we want to be there early.
There are no queues at the ticketoffice. Once inside we first go to the harem to buy the tickets for that part. The advice given by Turkey Travel Planner is very valuable: there are very few people this early in the harem. It's quiet and peaceful, you just hear some birds twittering cheerfully, it's easy to imagine yourself 400 years ago in this place.

The harem is the best part of the Topkapi palace. This is where the wives and concubines of the Sultan and his sons used to live. There is a spacious room with a throne for the Sultan that serves as a kind of livingroom/celebration hall.
The mother of the Sultan has her own apartments including her own bathroom.
In the harem the only men that are allowed to visit are the Sultan and his sons, the eunuchs who guard and serve the women and every now and then a clockmaker (to tend to the clocks).

Above at the left and to the right photos of the "Paired Pavilions", rooms for the prince royal inside the harem.
Below a photo by Roos that shows the view from the harem.
Below to the right the apartments of the Sultan's favorite concubines.

The 'Topkapidagger' in 1741 made by the Sultan's goldsmiths as a present for the Shah of Persia, set with emeralds from Egypt and other precious jewels.

We pass the Aya Sophia en route to the Blue Mosque. Halfway we have a glass of pomegranate juice(photo above at the right). We also pay a visit to the Art Centre(photo above), consisting of all kind of small workshops (puppet manufacturers, miniaturists etc.) surrounding a shady inner garden, but because it is a sunday most shops are closed.
We also pass the well known Yesil Ev (Green House), a beautifully restored house that is an hotel now, across the street from the baths of Roxelana (now a carpetstore).

Photos above: the circumcision pavilion from the inside and from the outside.
Photos to the left and below: the Baghdadpavilion, built to commemorate the capture of Baghdad (1639) and the view the Sultan enjoyed to the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara.

When we saw all that we possibly could(the Miniature and Portrait Gallery and the Clock Chamber were closed unfortunately)we had lunch outside of the palacewalls, near the Imperial Gate at Divan Yolu, on the corner of Sogukçesme Sokagi street(=sokak) of the cold (=soguk) fountain (=çesme).
We had a view of the Fountain of Ahmet III, from the Tulip Period (baroque like with lots of ornaments etc, early 17th century)

Aside from the harem there is a lot to see. Lots of priceless treasures like the dagger above at the left or the 'aigrette'(to adorn a turban, to the left) in the Treasury (here you do have to shuffle along in the queue that passes the exhibition cases) and holy objects like the swords of the prophet Mohammed and his fighters in the Pavilion of the Holy Mantle.

We saw the Blue Mosque from a distance on our first day(photo at the left), today we will really visit it. It is one of the most famous mosques in he world, built between 1609 and 1616, having six minarets.
T he tourist entrance is on the right side. You have to stand in line for a while because everybody has to take off their shoes and (women) cover their hair.