Harem exhibition continues at Topkapı

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Satisfying curiosity about court intrigues, a new exhibition titled “House of the Sultan: Topkapı Palace Imperial Harem” at the Istanbul palace seeks to portray life in the imperial harem from all aspects.

The exhibition, which is divided into four sections, each focusing on one significant aspect of harem life, is running from now until Oct. 15.

The first section shows the harem’s construction process and focuses on the building’s physical structure.

The construction period is shown with miniatures, engravings and architectural plans. The second section explains the organization of the harem’s servants and guards, namely eunuchs and concubines, in accordance with the hierarchical order imposed by the building’s physical structure. The third section focuses on the rise of the harem’s women: from concubine to a sultan’s favorite, then wife, and finally the Mother Sultan. This section is part of the larger narrative about the lives of the dynasty’s members and such women’s place within the internal hierarchy. The fourth section focuses on the daily life in the harem, as well as its traditions and entertainment.