Holy Relics in Topkapi Palace Ready for Ramadan

The works in the Department of Sacred Relics in Topkapı Palace, affiliated with the Presidency of National Palaces, were meticulously cleaned before the approaching month of Ramadan. A feverish work is currently underway in the section, which is flooded with visitors during Ramadan, the sultan of eleven months.

The Department of Sacred Relics is being overhauled down to the smallest detail, from its carpets to its tiles, from its floor to its dome, from the display cases where the works are exhibited to the sacred relics.

'IT IS BEING CAREFULLY CLEANED'

The Sacred Relics Department, located in the Enderun Courtyard of Topkapı Palace, has been home to the most valuable works of the Turkish and Islamic worlds for 508 years. The relics, which were brought to Istanbul after Yavuz Sultan Selim's Egypt campaign in 1517, have been carefully preserved and exhibited for centuries. The most important of the sacred relics is the Mantle of Saadet belonging to our Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet's letters, sword, tooth broken in the Battle of Uhud, his Beard of the Prophet and footprint are also located in this section. Swords belonging to the four caliphs and the companions, the keys to the Kaaba and the Black Stone enclosure, as well as mementos of the Haram-i Sharif, are also exhibited here. The maintenance and cleaning of the Sacred Relics Department is carried out by the National Palaces Object Care and Conservation Team, which is a first in the field of museums in Turkey. As part of the work, the carpets, tiles, silver lamps, incense burners and candlesticks, wooden window shutters, cabinets and the marble areas inside the niches of the Has Oda are being meticulously cleaned. The dust of the Mantle of Saadet and the Sancak-ı Şerif cases is being removed with great care. In these applications, devices with vacuum settings and HEPA filters and horsehair brushes special to museums are used. The dust collected in accordance with traditional methods is poured into the dust well in front of the Department of Sacred Relics. A comprehensive reorganization was carried out in the Department of Sacred Relics in 2023, and the number of works on display was increased from 60 to 300. The Mushaf attributed to Hz. Osman was also presented to visitors again after a long break. As part of these works, a historical opening was held, and the Has Oda, where the Mantle of Saadet is kept, was opened to visitors for the first time.

YILDIZ, 'THE WORKS ARE CONTINUING IN ACCORDANCE WITH TRADITION'

Speaking about the preparations at the Department of Sacred Relics, Head of National Palaces Dr. Yasin Yıldız said, "The Chamber of the Sacred Relics of Topkapı Palace is a place that has always been evaluated as such within its historical importance, which is considered the heart of the palace. Our country is about to enter Ramadan these days. Therefore, as every year, we continue some routine preparations in the Chamber of the Sacred Relics in Topkapı Palace. In this context, one of the works that could be the most important turning point was the opening of this place to visitors by our President the previous year. In particular, the opening of the Has Oda, which we are in, which is the real heart of the palace, to visitors was in 2023 for the first time in its history, and as you can see, our visitors can now see the Mantle of Saadet more closely. Of course, every year when Ramadan comes, we do a very special cleaning here regarding the Chamber of the Sacred Relics. Because since ancient times, there have been certain practices carried out especially in Topkapı Palace by the sultans themselves during the month of Ramadan regarding the Mantle of Saadet. Therefore, the work and cleaning services we carry out here are carried out in accordance with this tradition," he said.