The fourth courtyard of the Topkapi Palace was the private garden of the sultan (Sofa-i Humayun in Arabic) where he had roses and tulips and some kiosks from which he had a great view of the city while drinking his tea or coffee. Baghdad kiosk, Revan kiosk and Sofa kiosk on the left of the courtyard overlooking the Golden Horn, all of them built in the 17th century and decorated with fine tiles and mother of pearl inlaid on wood, circumcision room for the sons of the sultan, Mecidiye kiosk on the right of the courtyard overlooking the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus, built in the mid-19th century, and the small mosque are some interesting elements of this last courtyard. Just below the Mecidiye kiosk, there is a self service cafeteria and a restaurant today. (Location: Istanbul)

Uploaded by slavica on 5/13/2007, viewed 8825 times.