Topkapi palace is the most extensive monument in Turkish civil architecture. The monument occupies 700,000 m2 and is a building complex of courts, pavilions, mosques and fountains. The whole palace is surrounded by a strong wall. Its name “TOPKAPI” is a compound and means “Cannon Gate”. When Mehmet ll conquered Istanbul in 1453, he had his first palace erected in the district where the University Istanbul and Suleymaniye Mosque are now situated. Since the palace was fairly small, he decided to build Topkapi Palace in 1459. Only the Harem was added later in the 16th century. The palace was the official residence of the sultans until 1839 when Sultan Abdulmecid l moved to the new palace “DOLMABAHCE PALACE”. In the heyday of the empire approximately 4,000 people lived in this palace district. The total area included four grand courts and the HAREM section.