Old Palace, Constantinople

Eski Saray (Turkish for "Old Palace"), also known as Sarây-ı Atîk-i Âmire, was a palatial building in Constantinople under the Ottoman Empire in the Beyazıt neighborhood of the Fatih district, between the Süleymaniye Mosque and the Bayezid II Mosque.

Construction of the palace began shortly after the 1453 conquest and was completed in 1458. Historians of the period including Doukas and Michael Critobulus stated that it was completed in 1455.

Evliya Çelebi stated in his ''Seyahatnâme'' that the construction of the palace began in 1454 on the site of an old church and that the palace was surrounded by a solid rectangular wall covered with a blue lead that had a perimeter of 12,000 arşın, approximately equivalent to .

Historian Tursun Beg, a contemporary of Mehmed II, mentioned that the palace housed mansions, a harem, the Imperial Council, the throne room where the Sultan carried out state affairs, and its grounds included an area for hunting.

When the construction of Topkapi Palace was completed in 1481, the Imperial Council and the administration was shifted to the Topkapi, while the Old Palace housed the Imperial Harem of the Empire. Until the reign of Suleiman, Ottoman Royal Women including the Mother, sisters, consorts and daughters of the Sultans were not allowed to stay in the Topkapi palace and mostly stayed in the Old Palace. Mehmed the Conqueror had specifically issued a decree to the effect that no women would be allowed to reside in the same building where government affairs were conducted.

In 1541, Hurrem Sultan, wife of Suleiman Magnificient and the Haseki sultan of the Ottoman Empire at that time, ordered to permanently shift the entire Ottoman Imperial Harem and the Residence of all the Ottoman Royal family members to the Topkapi Palace after a fire broke out in the Old Palace in the same year. It is also assumed that her decision was mainly because she wanted to increase her influence and authority over the Ottoman Empire's State and Foreign affairs as it was difficult for her to take part in the administration and decision making while staying in a different Palace. This decision reduced the importance of the Old Palace and the Palace became almost uninhabited as almost all members and the entire luxury was shifted to the new palace.

Although the Old Palace lost it's Importance, It was still actively used, acted as a retirement home for the former Wives, Mothers, sisters and the daughters of the Sultans and also housed the servants and assistants of those female royal members. Prominent figures like Safiye Sultan, Ayşe Sultan (wife of Murad IV), Halime Sultan, Muazzez Sultan spent their retirement life and finally died in the Old Palace. In 1625-1632 under Murad IV the palace was restored.

In 1687, a huge Fire broke out in the Old Palace, and the Palace got completely burned to the ground with no remains and even took the life of Muazzez Sultan, mother of Ahmed II, who was living her retirement life in the Palace and died in the accident, although other royal members and servants were saved. The palace was never reconstructed later.

References

{{Ottoman architecture

Buildings and structures in Istanbul
Demolished buildings and structures in Istanbul
Fatih
Government of the Ottoman Empire
Houses completed in the 15th century
Ottoman court
Ottoman palaces in Istanbul