The Chamber of the Holy Relics

Represented by a building on the north-eastern side of Enderun Square; the Third Courtyard of Topkapı Palace is where the Holy Relics of Prophet Mohammed are kept and displayed.

This area is known as the Mukaddes Emanetler Dairesi, and has the largest sacred collection of its kind in the world, containing the personal effects of the Prophet Mohammed, the Caliphs, and even the unexpected Staff of Moses. The objects on display were brought to İstanbul in 1517 by Selim the Grim after he conquered the holy cities of Mecca and Medina and declared himself caliph.

As the Kaa’ba was restored annually, parts of the mosque were regularly kept as decoration for the mosques. The domed room is decorated with İznik tiles and quotations from the Koran, plus a priceless set of rain gutters, an intricately carved door, and old Kaa’ba keys.

Directly opposite the entrance are the four sabers of the first four caliphs and the very first copy of the Koran, documented on deerskin.

To the right is the Mohammed Chamber, in front of which is a booth where an imam (religious leader) has been reciting passages from the Koran continuously for 500 years.

This tradition was started by Mehmet II and provides the setting for the collection of holy relics inside. The golden cloth that once covered the black stone in the central courtyard of the Kaa’ba in Mecca now hangs in this exhibition, as a new one is richly prepared each year. The display cases here are almost always hidden behind devout visitors who commune with the Prophet’s spirit via relics such as his hair, a tooth, his footprints, and even soil from his tomb. The Holy Mantle, the most sacred item in the collection, is housed in a golden casket and hidden behind a barred door.

After the holy relics were handed over to the Ottomans, they were kept in the Harem-i Hümayun (Imperial Harem); eventually, they were brought to this area to be displayed. Hence, this area is also known as the Apartments of the Hırka-i Saadet (Mantle of the Prophet) or Mukaddes Emanetler Dairesi, as mentioned before. This area, which was mainly reserved for holy relics during the era of Mahmud II, was only established during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II. The rooms were changed, restored, and added over time.

The Has Oda (Privy Chamber), where the Prophet’s Mantle was kept, forms the main part of the building; the arched doorway to this area bears the Kalima-i Tawhid, calligraphy by Sultan Ahmed III. The dome of Has Oda, which is higher compared to the other rooms, stands on a frame with twelve arched windows. 

Couplets from Buisiri’s Qasida-i Burda (Ode of the Mantle) are written in the Thuluth style in the belt that adorns the upper part of the tiled walls.

Since the room next to the Has Oda was a kind of reception room where the Sultan received high-ranking officials, it was called the Arzhane (presentation/reception room). A letter written by the Prophet, his footprint, seal, part of his tooth, hair from his beard, soil from his grave, and some other relics are kept in this room.