托普卡普宫殿“免费入场周”开始

The Topkapi Palace lies on the European side of Istanbul. Around 400 years ago, it was the official and primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans. But now, it's a major tourist attraction as well as the country's largest museum. The Topkapi Palace has recently kicked off their "Free Admission Week".
托普卡普宫殿位于欧洲伊斯坦布尔一侧。大约400年前，居住在那的是奥斯曼苏丹官员和主要居民。但是现在，它成为主要的旅游胜地和国家最大的博物馆。托普卡普宫殿最近开始了它们的“免费入场周”。

The initial construction began in 1459, when Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Byzantine Constantinople made the call. After centuries' of expansions and renovations, the palace was finally transformed into a museum of the imperial era.
从1459年开始初期建筑，那时拜占庭式君士坦丁堡占领者穆罕默德二世决定建筑的。经过数世纪的扩建和革新，这个宫殿最终转变成帝国时代的博物馆。

The Topkapi Palace contains the most holy relics of the Muslim world, such as the Prophet Muhammed's cloak and sword. Along with a few monuments in Istanbul, the Palace became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, and is described as "the best examples of ensembles of palaces of the Ottoman Period".
托普卡普宫殿珍藏着伊斯兰教最神圣的文物，如穆罕默德的披风和剑。再加上伊斯坦布尔的一些名胜古迹，这个宫殿在1985年被列入联合国教科文组织世界遗产，而且被描述为“. 奥斯曼时期宫殿总体效果最好的范例”。

Although only a small number out of hundreds of rooms and chambers are accessible to the public today, tourists from all over the world enjoy the various items on exhibit.
尽管今天只有少量的几百个房间和内庭可让公众进入，但是来自世界各地的旅客欣赏着展出的各种项目。

A Chinese tourist said, "I am from China. I came to Istanbul because I am interested in the history of the city. It's the conjunction of Europe and Asia, the end of the 'Silk Road'"
一名中国旅客说：“我来自中国。我来到伊斯坦布尔因为我对这个城市的历史感兴趣。它是欧洲和亚洲的连接点，是丝绸之路之终点。”

The highlight of the museum is the large collection of treasure. Besides Blue-and-White Chinese porcelain that was transported by caravan over the Silk Road, a representative selection of imperial treasure is also exhibited here. The head of the palace introduced two important pieces, the Spoonmaker's Diamond, and The Topkapi Dagger.
博物馆最精彩的部分在于它收藏了大量珍宝。除了通过丝绸之路由商队运输过来的中国青花瓷外，一个具有代表性的帝国珍宝也在那展出。宫殿领导人介绍了两件重要的珍宝：托普卡博匕首和梨形钻石。

Joseph Frech, director of Topkapi Palace Museum, said, "There are many interesting stories linked with the diamond's origins. One of them is, that a very poor man discovered the diamond but it is of no use to a hungry man, so he traded the diamond for three spoons. A vizier heard the story and he went straight into the bazaar and bought the diamond immediately. He sent it to the best craftsman of the empire, and now we're able to see one of the greatest legacies of the Ottoman period."
托普卡普宫殿管理人Joseph Frech说：“有很多关于这颗钻石来源的有趣故事。其中一个是，一个非常贫穷的人发现了这颗钻石，但是这对于一个饥饿的人来说并没有用，于是他想用这颗钻石换三把勺子。一个大臣听到这件事后马上到市集买了这颗钻石。他把这颗钻石送给国家最好的工匠，所以，现在我们能够看到奥斯曼时期最伟大的遗产。”

The second room houses the Topkapi Dagger. The golden hilt is ornamented with three large emeralds, topped by a golden watch with an emerald lid.
第二个房间收藏托普卡博匕首。金制的刀柄装饰有三颗大绿宝石，顶部是金色手表和翠绿色的盖子。

Joseph Frech said, "The Topkapi Dagger is another piece of treasure. In the 18th century, the Sultan Mahmud the first had this dagger for Nadir Shah of Persia, but Shah was assassinated in connection with a revolt, so the Sultan retained it."
Joseph Frech说：“托普卡博匕首是另一个珍宝。18世纪，苏丹的Mahmud首次将这把匕首送给波斯Nadir Shah，但是Shah由于牵涉到叛乱被暗杀了，所以苏丹人保留了这把匕首。”

Besides the shining diamonds and gold daggers, the palace is full of examples of Ottoman architecture and also contains large collections of porcelain, robes, weapons, shields, armor, Ottoman miniatures, Islamic calligraphic manuscripts and murals, as well as a display of Ottoman treasure and jewelry.
除了闪烁的钻石和金制的匕首，宫殿还珍藏了许多奥斯曼王朝建筑风格的模型，还收藏了大量陶瓷、长袍、武器、盾、盔甲、土耳其袖珍画、伊斯兰教书法手稿和壁画，还展示了土耳其的财富和珠宝。