More than a mere gate, the Bâbüssaâde is the sacred threshold to the Sultan’s private world, separating the Second Courtyard—the public stage of imperial administration—from the Third Courtyard, the inner palace of Enderun. Also known as the Gate of Petitions (Arz Kapısı), it was before this very gate that the most vital ceremonies of the Ottoman dynasty unfolded.
Here, the Sultan, seated on his throne before its threshold, would receive the homage of his subjects during religious festivals and conduct the enthronement ceremony (Cülûs) upon his accession. The allegiance of the Janissaries was sworn here, and the holy standard (Sancak-ı Şerif) was presented here before military campaigns. To pass through this gate, governed by the high-ranking Agha of the Gate of Felicity, was to enter the absolute presence of the Sultan, leaving the world of the ordinary behind.