The Şerbethane, the Ottoman palace's sherbet kitchen at Topkapı Palace, reopened to visitors after a nine-month restoration and exhibition redesign.
Located within the Imperial Kitchens in the palace's second courtyard, the renovated space now features an expanded collection showcasing the Ottoman court's traditions of preparing and serving sherbets, desserts, medicinal pastes, essences and fragrances.
Ilhan Kocaman, director of Topkapı Palace under the Directorate of National Palaces, said the restoration was carried out to preserve the historic building, renew the exhibition and expand the collection.
"The Şerbethane first opened to visitors in 2010, but over time both the building and the exhibition required renewal," Kocaman told Anadolu Agency (AA). "Over approximately nine months, we completed the restoration, renewed the displays and expanded the collection. The number of exhibited objects has increased from 174 to 452."
Kocaman said the sherbet kitchen served a variety of functions beyond preparing beverages and sweets.
"In addition to drinks and desserts, the chief physician prepared medicinal pastes and other remedies here," he said. "The sherbet kitchen served not only the sultan but also members of the palace household and staff. During the month of Muharram, ashure, a traditional dessert with an important place in Ottoman culture, was also prepared and served here. Visitors will now be able to see many objects that have never before been displayed."
The sherbet kitchen operated as part of the Helvahane, the palace confectionery, where baklava, helva, sherbets and other desserts were prepared for the sultan and the imperial court.
Under the supervision of the palace's chief physician, it also produced medicines, herbal pastes and aromatic essences, reflecting the Ottoman court's culinary, medicinal and fragrance traditions.
The redesigned exhibition includes porcelain nevruziyelik vessels used during Nowruz celebrations, silver, tombak and porcelain ashure pitchers, lidded dessert containers, Chinese porcelain pickle jars, sherbet jars and drinking cups, decorative sherbet covers, incense burners and rosewater sprinklers, among other artifacts.
The Imperial Kitchens complex underwent a major restoration in 2010. After about 15 years of use as a museum, the exhibition spaces were redesigned to meet updated curatorial and conservation standards.
The latest phase of work, which intensified last year, concluded this year with a new curatorial layout, expanded collection and updated installations.
The restoration preserved the building's historic fabric while reinforcing its structural system, replacing basalt stone flooring, installing new display cases and adding interpretive panels designed to complement the historic architecture.
The sherbet kitchen is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except Tuesdays, when Topkapı Palace is closed.
