ENDERUN COURT & THE FOURTH COURTYARD - TOPKAPI PALACE

ENDERUN COURT(THE THIRD COURT)
The Gate of Felicity (Babiissaade) opens to the Third Courtyard where Divan Square, Enderun, and the sultan's residences are found. In front of this gate some of the most important ceremonies and religious festivals were celebrated here for centuries. Here it was a ceremonial tradition to deliver the imperial flag to the Grand Vizier before a war. Around the third courtyard of the palace there are buildings that were used by the sultans, such as their mosques, hammams, etc. "Enderun", which acted like an imperial university, is also located here, as well as the Sultan Ahmet III Library which was the first official library of the Ottoman state. The Privy Chamber (known as "Arz Odasi"), which is situated just opposite of the Gate of Felicity, was quite an important place where the sultans directed the administration of the state. It is also where foreign ambassadors were received. Meetings with state administrators and commanders of military cam-paigns were also held here. One of the most prominent buildings located in the Third Courtyard is the Holy Relics Apartment within which the sacred trusts belonging to Mohammed and the Kaaba are found on display today. The building con¬tains such holy relics as the Prophet Mohammed's cloak and hairs from his beard. The walls of the inner chamber, where the public can view but not enter, is decorated with Ottoman porcelain.

Enderun Young people who had been selected and gathered from Christian families under the framework of the Ottoman "devshirmeh" system were educated in "Enderun," which existed before the construction of Topkapi Palace. The most talented devshirmeh people were brought into the service of the Ottoman army, palace, and administration.

THE FOURTH COURTYARD
After passing the corridors beyond the Third courtyard you find yourself in the Fourth courtyard, which is full of pavilions set in the garden. Among the pavilions and kiosks is the sole wooden pavilion of the palace; the Baghdad and Revan kiosks, which are full of magnificent porcelain and glass works of the 17th century; and the Mecidiye Kiosk, which was the last constructed building of the palace. The first floor of the Mecidiye Kiosk serves as a restaurant for visitors. The terrace in front of the Baghdad Kiosk is the best and most convenient place to view the spectacular panoramas of the Golden Horn, Galata, and the domes and minarets of Old istanbul all at once. The hillside gardens of the palace have been turned into a large city park open to the public.

The Baghdad Kiosk The Baghdad Kiosk was built in 1639 by Sultan Murad IV to commemorate his successful Baghdad campaign and stands as one of the palace's most beautiful kiosks today. This kiosk Is one of the most successful and best-maintained examples of Turkish architecture. Since the 18th century this Kiosk, along with the Revan Kiosk, were used as a library. After the palace was turned into a museum, the books in the Baghdad Kiosk were incorporated into the Palace Library collection.