What was the name of the sultan's official residence in Istanbul?

The sultan’s official residence in Istanbul was Topkapı Palace. For centuries, it served as both the Ottoman imperial residence and the administrative center of the empire.

Sultan Mehmed II ordered its construction in 1459, six years after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. Originally called the New Palace, the complex occupied the Seraglio Point, overlooking the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus, and the Sea of Marmara. Rather than being one monumental building, Topkapı consisted of courtyards, gardens, pavilions, government offices, treasury buildings, and private apartments.

The palace also housed the Imperial Council and, eventually, the imperial harem. Its political importance extended far beyond royal accommodation: state decisions, ceremonies, diplomatic receptions, and palace administration were organized there. The name Topkapı, meaning “Cannon Gate,” became common in the 19th century.

The sultans gradually favored newer waterfront palaces, and Sultan Abdülmecid I moved the court to Dolmabahçe Palace in 1856. Topkapı was converted into a museum in 1924. Beylerbeyi and Yıldız were important later residences, but neither was the empire’s long-standing principal palace.