Gate of Salutation

Also known as the Middle Gate, Bab üs-Selam(Gate of Salution) is the monumental threshold leading into the Second Courtyard, the administrative heart of the empire. Originally constructed under Mehmed the Conqueror, this formidable gate with its two flanking towers marks the point beyond which no one could pass without official business. Its grand iron doors, as noted by an inscription, were crafted in 1524, and the entire structure has witnessed centuries of imperial history, undergoing several restorations.