On the southwest side of the courtyard of the Archeological museum in Istanbul stands the reddish domed church of Hagia Eirene (Divine Peace), one of the best-preserved Early Byzantine buildings in Istanbul, now a museum (Aya Irini Müzesi). In 381 it was the meeting-place of the Second Ecumenical Council. During the Turkish period it became an arsenal, and more recently houses an artillery museum.
On the north side of the Outer Court (to the right, the Executioner's Fountain, in front of which dignitaries who had fallen from favor were executed) is the Ort Kapi (Middle Gate; 1524), the entrance to the Inner Seraglio, the palace-city of the Sultans, which consists of a series of buildings, large and small, laid out round three courtyards. The first of the inner courtyards, the Court of the Divan, surrounded by colonnades, is the largest (150m/164yds long) and most impressive. On the right-hand side are the palace kitchens, topped by 20 dome-like chimneys. With their 24 fireplaces, the kitchens were said to serve up to 20,000 meals a day.
The palace kitchens of Hagia Eirene in Istanbul now house the Porcelain Collection, predominantly consisting of Chinese porcelain and faience (mostly 10th-18th century), which includes many items of outstanding quality. On the left-hand side of the courtyard is the Kubbe Alti, built by Mehmet II, with a tall tower (41.5m/135ft; 16th century, upper part 1819). This housed the Divan, the council chamber in which the Grand Vizier received foreign envoys. Adjoining the Kubbe Alti is a collection of Turkish faience.
The Bab-üs-Saadet, the Gate of Felicity (to the left, a collection of textiles), leads into the second of the inner courts. Immediately in front of the gate is the Audience Chamber (Arz Odasi), a pavilion dating from the time of Süleiman the Magnificent, with a baldachin-like throne in a colonnaded hall. Beyond this is the Library of Ahmet III.
Beyond the Treasury in the Hagia Eirene in Istanbul is the Harem (an Arabic word meaning "That which is forbidden"), the women's apartments to which only the Sultan, his blood relatives and the eunuchs had access. Part of the Harem is now open to the public (admission charge; half-hourly tours, 50 people max.). Apart from a few larger rooms, richly appointed, the Harem is a maze of narrow corridors and small - sometimes tiny - rooms, which have preserved little in the way of Oriental splendor. In imperial Turkey men might have up to four legitimate wives at a time; the Sultan was allowed seven. There was no limit on the number of concubines. Since 1926 monogamy has been enforced by law.
Beyond the second inner courtyard lies the terraced Tulip Garden. On the uppermost terrace (view) is the Bagdat Köskü (Baghdad Pavilion), a domed building with magnificent tile decoration erected by Murat IV to commemorate the taking of Baghdad. Adjoining it are the Revan Köskü (Erevan Pavilion) and the Circumcision Room (Sünnet Odasi). Lower down are the Sofa Köskü (1704, a fine timber building, the Hekim Basi (Surgeon's Tower) and the Mecidiye Köskü (19th century), now a restaurant.
On the right-hand side of the court in the Hagia Eirene in Istanbul is the Treasury (Hazine), with three rooms containing treasures of inestimable value (thrones, rich garments and weapons, precious stones, pearls, vases, clocks, candelabra, writing materials, etc.). Adjoining the Treasury is a collection of splendid costumes worn by the Sultans.
On the left-hand side of the court stands the Eunuchs' Mosque (Agalar Camii), now housing a library (12,000 manuscripts).
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