Inside the Harem at Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.

The literal meaning of the word harem in Arabic language is, “a holy place that everyone is not allowed to enter." In Muslim societies, it is a notion which defines intimate family life. In Ottoman tradition, the word "Harem" was used in two different senses. First, "the sultan's harem" i.e. his family, and the second meaning would have referred to the space where his family lives.

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