New Findings in the Vâlide Sultan Courtyard of Topkapı Palace: In The Trace of Centuri̇es Long Repairs and Varying Function

Abstract

The Harem of Topkapı Palace has long been a focal point for researchers, with extensive studies conducted on its political and administrative structure, hierarchy, architecture, restorations, tile decorations and painted ornamentation. Despite the wealth of literature on the subject, the Harem continues to offer new insights to scholars. Information revealed through ongoing restorations sheds light on the many uncertainties that have persisted over time. It is observed that the spaces within the Harem witnessed constant transformation, particularly during certain periods when fires caused significant damage. As a result of these transformations, differences between the original purposes of the spaces within the Harem when they were built and their later uses are determined. The spaces associated with the Vâlide Sultan, which constitute the most significant section of the Harem, have always been of great interest and represent one of the richest fields of academic research. The large-scale Harem Restoration and the project to open previously inaccessible sections to visitors, carried out under the administration of the National Palaces Directorate, have been instrumental in uncovering various new data that contribute to a deeper understanding of these spaces. In this context, during the restoration work conducted in 2025 on the structures surrounding the Valide Sultan Courtyard (Valide Sultan Taşlığı), new findings were discovered concerning the unit known as “the Vâlide Sultan’s Kitchen” and the area referred to as “the Entrance Hall”. In light of these findings, the pre-1665 Harem Fire conditions of these spaces and the subsequent transformations they underwent are being re-evaluated based on concrete evidence obtained through stratigraphic scraping (raspa) and restoration processes.