The historic corridor connecting the Mabeyn section to the Harem-i Hümayun at Topkapı Palace has been transformed into the Mabeyn Road Tile Art Gallery. The gallery preserves the corridor’s original structure while showcasing the beauty and diversity of Ottoman tile art.
Visitors can trace the evolution of tile art from Iznik to Kütahya, observing changes in style and technique along a single route. The thematic layout allows guests to follow both the palace’s architectural context and the stylistic development of tiles step by step.
Yasin Yıldız, the president of the National Palaces Administration, described the corridor as one of Topkapı Palace’s “mysterious corners” during the gallery’s opening. “This corridor connects the sultan’s private apartments with the harem. It was very important, but over the centuries it fell out of use and was largely forgotten,” he explained.
Referring to the tiles preserved in the palace, Yıldız added that the corridor was redesigned as a tile gallery as part of a restoration project. “Tiles are a vital part of the National Palaces Collection, especially in Topkapı Palace. These include decorative tiles originally used in various rooms. Considering that the palace’s construction and 16th-century renovations coincided with the peak of Turkish tile art, the variety here is remarkable.”
Yıldız emphasized that the gallery features exceptional examples of Iznik and Kütahya tiles. “Some tiles were stored in our depots and rarely seen by visitors. In this gallery, we aim to present these tiles as a complete collection because it is impossible to fully understand the palace’s history and collections without them. That is why this location was chosen,” he said.
He also noted that the corridor features tiles listing the names of Ottoman sultans from Osman Gazi to Sultan Selim II. “The work took us approximately three years. Restoration projects are lengthy. Our work on the sultan’s apartments in the Mabeyn is nearly complete. Rooms such as the Sultan’s Chamber, the Mirror Chamber and the Valide Sultan Apartment will soon be open to visitors,” Yıldız added.
Until 2018, a significant portion of Topkapı Palace’s tiles was stored in scattered depots within the Harem. The National Palaces Administration consolidated more than 2,000 boxes of tiles in two depots built in the Aziziye structures, expanding storage to 700 square meters.
In 2019, a Tile Restoration Workshop was established, initiating cataloging and documentation efforts. The project documented 9,486 photographs and inventoried 800 distinct tile patterns. The gallery’s collection is the result of this work, and the process of matching fragmented tiles for restoration continues.
The Mabeyn Road Tile Art Gallery presents a continuous line of Ottoman tile art, from the 16th-century Iznik classical style to 17th-century stylistic diversification and 18th-century Kütahya tiles influenced by European motifs. Visitors can observe floral motifs such as tulips, carnations and hyacinths, along with landscape and figurative scenes that illustrate the evolution of aesthetics and cultural influences.
Large tiles on the gallery walls list the names of sultans from Osman Gazi to Sultan Selim II. Visitors can also see tiles inscribed with selected couplets from the 11th-century poem "Kaside-i Münferice" by the Tunisian poet Ibnü’n Nahvi.
The gallery features approximately 250 tiles and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Tuesdays, when Topkapı Palace is closed.
