Arab archery
Muhammad was quite good with a bow, and appreciated the benefits of archery in sports and warfare. A recurved bow made of bamboo, and ascribed to Muhammad, is held in the Sacred Relics (Topkapı Palace) in the Chamber of the Sacred Relics in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul.
Topkapı Palace
The Courtyard of the Sultan's Consorts and the Concubines ("Kadın Efendiler Taşlığı / Cariye Taşlığı") was constructed at the same time as the courtyard of the eunuchs in the middle of the 16th century.
It underwent restoration after the 1665 fire and is the smallest courtyard of the Harem.
The porticoed courtyard is surrounded by baths ("Cariye Hamamı"), a laundry fountain, a laundry, dormitories, the apartments of the Sultan's chief consort and the apartments of the stewardesses ("Kalfalar Dairesi").
The three independent tiled apartments with fireplaces overlooking the Golden Horn were the quarters where the consorts of the Sultan lived. These constructions covered the site of the courtyard in the late 16th century.
At the entrance to the quarters of the Queen Mother, wall frescoes from the late 18th century depict landscapes, reflecting the western influence.
The staircase, called the "Forty Steps" ("Kirkmerdiven"), leads to the Hospital of the Harem ("Harem Hastanesi"), the dormitories of the concubines at the basement of the Harem and Harem Gardens.