Arts Society – Topkapi Palace, Istanbul: Power & Empire Communicated in Stone
Do come for a richly illustrated talk on this iconic building
If you are not a member (we are recruiting new members now) do come as a visitor to the hall. Just pay £10 at the door.
Betchworth Village Memorial Hall will open at 1.45 pm when tea and coffee will be served until 2.15 pm. Lectures begin promptly at 2.30pm. Those attending are asked to be seated by 2.25pm.
Monday 19th October 2026 at 2.30pm
Topkapi Palace in Istanbul stands as the definitive, stone-carved manifestation of Ottoman state philosophy, serving as the primary imperial residence and administrative nerve centre for nearly 400 years (from the 1460s to 1853).
Commissioned by Sultan Mehmed II after the 1453 conquest of Constantinople, the complex was designed not as a single massive building, but as a series of four courtyards and functional, interconnected structures that reflected the power, privacy, and religious authority of the Ottoman Sultans.
Our lecturer Dr Antonia Gatward Cevizli is an independent art historian specialising in both Italian Renaissance art and Ottoman art. She gained her PhD from the University of Warwick. Her publications focus on cultural and diplomatic exchange between the Italian city-states and the Ottomans. Antonia has lectured for a number of institutions including Sabanci University, Istanbul; Sotheby’s Institute of Art; the National Gallery; the V&A Academy and The Courtauld summer school. Her interests are wide-ranging and she also worked across the collections of both Tate Modern and Tate Britain as a professional guide. She has lived in Siena, Venice and Istanbul.
And on November 16th at 2.30 ( followed by Christmas Tea} : Rome – The 1700s – The Grand Tour by Stuart Harvey
For all our events or to become a member visit our website
Location: Betchworth Village Memorial Hall, Station Road, RH3 7DF