After the Ottomans became the holders of the caliphate in 1517, defeating the Mamluks and conquering much of the Middle East, they brought most of the Holy Relics of Prophet Mohammed from Cairo to Istanbul. 

They have been kept in the Chamber of the Holy Relics inside the Privy Room, which was the sultans’ living quarters for centuries, in Topkapi Palace, the empire’s headquarters. 

Since the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, the palace has become a museum, where the Holy Relics are being exhibited to local and foreign tourists. 

Below are photos of some relics located in the Topkapi Palace. 

To read more about how Muslim caliphs held the holy relics of the Prophet Mohammed and why Ottoman rulers brought them to Istanbul, click here.