How to Plan a Visit to Topkapı Palace in Istanbul

Topkapı Palace includes historic gates, council buildings and a large palace complex on Sarayburnu. Sultan Mehmed II built it between 1460 and 1478, following the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul; it became a museum on 3 April 1924.

The complex covers 700,000 m². Its three large gates are Bâb-ı Hümâyun, Demir Kapısı and Otluk Kapısı, alongside five service gates called koltuk kapısı. Inside the complex are the Kubbealtı, or Divan-ı Hümâyûn, where the Council of State convened, and the Council of State Treasury.

Topkapı Palace is one of the historic sights in Sultanahmet, an area you can plan alongside other stops on the peninsula. The palace’s official address places it in Sultanahmet/Fatih.

The combined ticket covers Topkapı Palace, Hagia Irene (Aya İrini) and the Harem, and is valid for one day from the date of purchase. Ticket information and prices can change; check the official site before you go.

Opening hours

• Monday and Wednesday to Sunday: 9:00–17:00
• Tuesday: closed

Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.

The combined ticket costs 500 TL for domestic visitors, 2,750 TL for foreign visitors and 250 TL for discounted visitors.

Separate tickets cost 400 TL, 1,050 TL and 150 TL for the Harem, and 350 TL, 1,050 TL and 150 TL for Hagia Irene, respectively, for domestic, foreign and discounted visitors. Museum Card is not valid for the Harem or Hagia Irene sections.

Visitors aged 0–6 are admitted free to the palaces, kiosks, pavilions, museums and historical factories covered by the National Palaces authority. Discounted tickets are offered to students aged 7–25 with a student ID; foreign students pay twice the discounted-ticket price. Foreign students aged 12–25 are asked to present a physical International Student Identity Card (ISIC).

Yenikapı is a useful starting area for reaching Sultanahmet and the palace. From Hermanos Hotel, Yenikapı is about a 4-minute walk away.

The palace’s address is Cankurtaran Mahallesi, Babı Hümayun Caddesi No. 1, Sultanahmet/Fatih.

The route into Sultanahmet from Yenikapı can help you plan your onward journey.

If you plan to use public transport, getting around Istanbul from Yenikapı can help you work out your route.

The combined ticket covers the palace, Hagia Irene and the Harem, while each of the latter two also has a separately available ticket. You can use the ticket choice to plan which sections to include in your visit.

If you are arranging more stops around the historic peninsula, consider how they fit with your palace entry and ticket choice. A day itinerary around the Yenikapı area offers another way to think about sequencing nearby sights.

The palace is closed to visitors on Tuesdays. The ticket office is open from 09:00 to 17:00, but those hours do not establish when visitor areas open or close. Check the official National Palaces authority site before you go for current opening details, ticket information and visitor rules.

The first day of Ramadan Bayram and New Year are closed to visitors, while the second and third days of Ramadan Bayram are open. Entry to National Palaces sites with a weapon is prohibited, including for law-enforcement personnel.