This museum complex consists of three collections housed in separate buildings. The main building, in neoclassical style, houses sarcophagi. As its name implies, the Tile Pavilion, featuring Ottoman civil architecture, houses a collection of Turkish and Islamic tiles. The third is the Museum of Oriental Antiquities.
Lines were long as visitors poured into Topkapi Palace from three cruise ships. What is now a museum once served as the royal residence for the sultan, his court and harem, and was also the center of state administration. We were fortunate to be able to watch an outdoor performance of the Imperial Band and to enjoy lunch at the restaurant on the grounds. The sultan's kitchens, currently closed to the public, originally prepared food for 4,000 on a daily basis. I'll bet the restaurant's efficient waiters served that many guests today, too.
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