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Topkapi PalacevsSuleymaniye Mosque
Both Topkapi Palace and Suleymaniye Mosque are highly recommended by experts. Overall, Topkapi Palace scores slightly better than Suleymaniye Mosque. Topkapi Palace ranks #1 in Istanbul with recommendations from 9 sources including Michelin Guide, Travel + Leisure and Lonely Planet.
Topkapi Palace
Fodor's
Concierge
Lonely Planet
Let's Go
Michelin Guide
Afar Magazine
Time Out
Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
Independent Show All Reviews
Babıhümayun Caddesi , Istanbul, Turkey
From $0/night
Fodor's "Few other royal residences match this hilltop compound when it comes to mystery, intrigue, and the lavish intricacies of court life." Full review
Concierge "If you're stuck for time, limit yourself to the main palace and the harem, the most intimate and personal rooms used by the sultans and their many, many women."
i
Avoid going on weekends or during peak periods of the day so you miss the busloads of people who move in flocks around the grounds in a veritable babel of chattering languages.
Lonely PlanetTop choice
"This opulent palace complex is the subject of more colourful stories than most of the world's royal residences put together." Full review
Let's Go "The views are luxurious, the buildings overwhelmingly crafted, and the treasures outrageous. " Full review
Michelin Guide 3 Stars
"In the harem of Topkapi Palace visitors are plunged into a mythical Orient of a thousand and one treasures and as many fantasies." Full review
i
Visit the unmissable Treasury and its masterpiece: a 250kg solid gold throne encrusted with diamonds and emeralds.
Afar Magazine "Topkapi Palace was where the Sultans lived for most of their 600 year rule over the Ottoman Empire." Full review
i
If you go, don't miss the exquisite collection of jewels in the Treasury.
Time Out "Its extensive rooms, chamber houses and fascinating objects, including the 86-carat Spoonmaker’s Diamond, make the museum a must-see... it is a also home to a rotating cast of temporary exhibitions." Full review
Travel + Leisure "Mehmet the Conqueror moved into Topkapi Palace—a complex of pavilions, kiosks, kitchens, barracks, and sleeping quarters arranged around a vast courtyard and set on the Seraglio peninsula—in 1453" Full review
i
Don't miss the spectacular view of the Bosporus and European Istanbul from the tip of the peninsula.
Travel + Leisure "Construction on Topkapi Palace began in 1453, when the Ottomans took Constantinople...the Harem requires an additional ticket, but it's worth it, with its magnificent blue-tiled walls and chambers."
Istanbul Travel Guide
August 16, 2021
Independent "This sprawling complex was the residence of the Ottoman sultans for around 400 years before the extravagant European-inspired Dolmabahçe Palace took over in the 19th century."
Suleymaniye Mosque Fodor's Concierge Lonely Planet Travel + Leisure Michelin Guide Let's Go Fodor's Travel + Leisure
Frommer's Travel + Leisure
Mimar Sinan Cd, Suleymaniye Mh, Istanbul, Turkey
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Fodor's "Perched on a hilltop opposite Istanbul University, Süleymaniye Camii is perhaps the most magnificent mosque in Istanbul and is considered one of the architect Sinan's masterpieces." Full review
Concierge "Escape the Sultanahmet crowds and head for this impressive and undervisited complex, just a short walk past the University from the back of the Grand Bazaar."
Lonely PlanetTop choice
"The Süleymaniye crowns one of the seven hills dominating the Golden Horn and provides a magnificent landmark for the entire city." Full review
Travel + Leisure "This stunning 16th-century mosque complex encompasses a hospital, primary school, caravansary, four Koran schools, a medical college, a public kitchen, and the mausoleum." Full review
Michelin Guide 3 Stars
"The elegant silhouette of Suleyman's mosque rises gracefully towards the sky." Full review
i
From the terraced gardens, the view extends as far as the Golden Horn.
Let's Go "With the highest dome in the city, this mosque represents Ottoman architecture at its innovative best." Full review
Fodor's "Perched on a hilltop opposite Istanbul University, Süleymaniye Camii is perhaps the most magnificent mosque in Istanbul and is considered one of the architect Sinan's masterpieces." Full review
Travel + Leisure "Suleymaniye Mosque is considered Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan's most splendid Istanbul mosque, and the architect himself is buried in a tomb on the site"
Istanbul Travel Guide
August 16, 2021
Frommer's "Perched on one of the seven hills of Istanbul and dominating the skyline, this complex is considered to be Sinan's masterpiece as much as the grand monument to Süleyman's reign" Full review
Travel + Leisure "Built in the 16th century to honor Sultan Süleyman...the central dome stands at a staggering 154 feet tall and the interior is beautifully decorated with colors of gold, green, red, and blue."
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