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Topkapi Palace, 3/31/2006
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Miniature Mosque590 viewsItems in the silver collection dated from the 16th century to the end of the 19th, but most were from the late 19th.
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Silver Globe588 viewsSome of the pieces in the silver collection were made in the Imperial Mint, some in other workshops attached to the palace, and some were presents from European diplomats.
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Silver Brazier565 viewsPresented to Sultan Abdul Hamid II on the 25th anniversary of his accession to the throne (1901).
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Gilded Cage655 viewsBut the bird of time has flown.
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Golden Gates610 viewsGilded gates and grilles admit visitors and light into the Imperial Council building.
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Dome of the Council Hall605 viewsThe Imperial Council building had three chambers, each crowned with a dome.
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Entrance to the Imperial Council Hall601 viewsThe Grand Vizier and the various ministers held their deliberations here, while the Sultan could watch hidden through a golden grille upstairs and order someone strangled or beheaded when they said something that displeased him..
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Council Chamber Door616 viewsThe latticed grilles satisfied a law requiring that Council sessions be open to the public.
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Council Hall Interior Detail599 viewsThe Imperial Council building consists of three main rooms, each with its own dome. The chamber where the Coiuncil held its deliberations was called the Kubbealti.
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Council Hall - Domed Ceiling554 viewsThe Council Hall dates from the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent (16th century), but has been restored several times since. The rococo decorations seen here date from the renovations of 1792 and 1819.
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Council Chamber Interior Detail720 viewsIntricately patterned ceiling and wall decorations of the Council Chamber.
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Ceiling Decor588 viewsConsummate artistry was expressed in every aspect of the palace structure, including the ceilings. The ugly hanging pipes are presumably a modern addition - a safeguard against the fires which devastated many parts of the palace in previous times.
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