No one knows who built this thirteenth- or fourteenth-century palace a short walk from the Kariye. An arcade set between two lines of the Land Walls opens into a courtyard to reveal its façade, lavishly detailed in brick, marble and glazed ceramic. It has been compared to medieval Italian palaces and Seljuk kiosks. Now a shell, it was probably the last Byzantine imperial residence in the city. Note the remains of a tiny chapel on the upper level. - Robert Ousterhout

The Tekfur Sarayi is currently being restored and is due to reopen in 2014