This outrageously curvaceous rococo gate leads into the precincts of what was once the grand vizierate, or Ottoman prime ministry, known in the West as the Sublime Porte thanks to this flamboyant entrance. Today the buildings beyond the gate hold various offices of the İstanbul provincial government (the Vilayetler).
Sublime Porte
Sultanahmet
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.25 MILES
Right in the heart of İstanbul’s historic center, this sacred Byzantine building remains an important symbol of power.
0.3 MILES
Topkapı is the subject of more colourful stories than most of the world's museums put together. Libidinous sultans, ambitious courtiers, beautiful…
2.44 MILES
İstanbul has more than its fair share of Byzantine monuments, but few are as drop-dead gorgeous as this mosaic- and fresco-laden church. Nestled in the…
0.79 MILES
The Süleymaniye crowns one of İstanbul's seven hills and dominates the Golden Horn, providing a landmark for the entire city. Though it's not the largest…
0.23 MILES
This subterranean structure was commissioned by Emperor Justinian and built in 532. The largest surviving Byzantine cistern in İstanbul, it was…
0.44 MILES
İstanbul's most photogenic building was the grand project of Sultan Ahmet I (r 1603–17), whose tomb is located on the north side of the site facing…
0.51 MILES
The colourful and chaotic Grand Bazaar is the heart of İstanbul's Old City and has been so for centuries. Starting as a small vaulted bedesten (warehouse)…
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1.43 MILES
There's plenty to see at this impressive museum, but its major draw is undoubtedly the 2nd-floor exhibition of paintings featuring Turkish Orientalist…
Nearby Sultanahmet attractions
1. Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar Literature Museum Library
0.06 MILES
Built into the wall of Gülhane Park, the 19th-century Alay Köşkü (Parade Kiosk) is a polygonal building where the sultan would sit and watch the periodic…
0.13 MILES
Gülhane Park was once part of the grounds of Topkapı Palace, accessible only to the royal court. These days crowds of locals come here to picnic under the…
3. İstanbul Archaeology Museums
0.14 MILES
The city's foremost archaeological museum is housed in three buildings close to Topkapı Palace. There are many highlights, but the sarcophagi from the…
4. İstanbul Museum of the History of Science & Technology in Islam
0.14 MILES
Of interest to science buffs, the didactic exhibition in this museum argues that Islamic advances in science and technology preceded and greatly…
0.16 MILES
This lovely little building tucked away in the shadow of Aya Sofya was designed by Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan on the orders of Cafer Ağa, Süleyman the…
0.19 MILES
This late 16th-century mosque, rebuilt in the 1860s and renovated in the 1960s, was originally constructed by Hacı Üveys bin Kevser, a governor and…
0.2 MILES
Running between the Topkapı Palace walls and Aya Sofya, this picturesque cobbled street is named after the Soğuk Çeşme (Cold Fountain) at its southern end…
0.2 MILES
Commissioned by Justinian in the 540s, this Byzantine church is almost exactly as old as its near neighbour, Aya Sofya. Used as an arsenal for centuries,…