HOME | DD

DreamSand — Ottoman patterns

Published: 2008-11-30 10:45:09 +0000 UTC; Views: 2031; Favourites: 25; Downloads: 125
Redirect to original
Description Wiki:

Roof of a room in the harem of a palace in Istanbul, Turkey, which was the official and primary residence in the city of the Ottoman Sultans, from 1465 to 1853.

The Imperial Harem (Harem-i Hümayûn) is one of the sections of the private apartments of the sultan. [80] The harem was home to the Sultan's mother, the Valide Sultan; the concubines and wives of the Sultan; and the rest of his family, including children; and their servants.[81] The harem consists of a series of buildings and structures, connected through hallways and courtyards. Every service team and hierarchical group residing in the harem had its own living space clustered around a courtyard. The number of rooms is not determined, with probably over a 100[82] of which only about a couple are open to the public. These apartments (Daires) were occupied respectively by the harem eunuchs, the Chief Harem Eunuch (Darüssaade Ağası, the concubines, the queen mother, the sultan's consorts, the princes and the favourites. There was no trespassing beyond the gates of the harem, except for the sultan, the queen mothers, the sultan's consorts and favourites, the princes and the concubines as well as the eunuchs guarding the harem.

The harem wing was only added at the end of the 16th century. Many of the rooms and features in the Harem were designed by Mimar Sinan. The harem section opening into the Second Courtyard (Divan Meydanı, to which the Gate of Carriages (Arabalar Kapısı opens to, expanded over time towards the side of the Golden Horn and became a huge complex. The buildings added to this complex from its initial date of construction in the 15th century until the early 19th century captures the stylistic development of palace design and decoration. Parts of the harem were redecorated under the sultans Mahmud I and Osman III in an Italian-inspired Ottoman Baroque style. These decorations contrast with those of the Ottoman classical age.
Related content
Comments: 9

slowdog294 [2011-03-18 04:00:49 +0000 UTC]

Awesome.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

barefootliam [2010-04-25 01:57:35 +0000 UTC]

Thanks for posting this, and for the description

Now I am wondering what it might have been like to have been a eunuch slave here, with all that awesomeness around you to make you feel insignificant!

Liam

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

LawrenceDeDark [2008-12-05 22:33:04 +0000 UTC]

These are wonderful shots. I hope to get to Turkey someday as well.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

DreamSand In reply to LawrenceDeDark [2008-12-28 22:22:42 +0000 UTC]

You should, especially Istanbul!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Gravewoe [2008-12-01 01:55:39 +0000 UTC]

Ooooh, that looks wicked. Lovin' the perspective. Really nice

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

DreamSand In reply to Gravewoe [2008-12-28 22:22:45 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Misantropia [2008-11-30 15:53:05 +0000 UTC]

Pretty cool perspective.
Awesome light and colors,nice details.
Great description.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

DreamSand In reply to Misantropia [2008-12-28 22:26:45 +0000 UTC]

Thank you, it was even more wonderful in true life, very hard to capture.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Misantropia In reply to DreamSand [2008-12-28 22:43:51 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0