Timeline of Transfer
According to the same source book, the date until which the Castle of Seven Towers served as the Treasury is emphasized: “All of these treasuries stayed at the Castle of Seven Towers until the end of Sultan Selim II’s reign (1566-1574). Sultan Selim II’s son Sultan Murad III (1574-1595) had the Treasury transferred to the palace, and from that time onwards, the Castle of Seven Towers was used as a prison.”
Account by Arnold Von Harff
Arnold Von Harff, who visited Istanbul in 1499, provided insight into the city’s fortifications: “The triangle-shaped city’s inner parts are surrounded by sturdy rampart walls.” Von Harff mentioned a fortress built by the Sultan’s father, known as the Castle of Seven Towers, where the Treasury was housed. However, he couldn’t describe its architecture as he had no access to it Exploring the Yedikule Treasury.
Corroboration in Other Sources
The usage of the Castle of Seven Towers as the State Treasury is reiterated in other important sources such as Tursun Bey’s History of Ali Osman and Kritopulos.
Transition Process
The gradual transfer of the treasury from the Castle of Seven Towers to the Topkapi Palace likely began during the Conqueror’s (Fatih) period. In the beginning of another Treasury register book, it is noted: “All the existing things (assets) in the State Treasury are Turkey Private Tours, by order of God the most High, for the comfort and ease of the people until the Judgment day,” as stated by Mehmet Pasha. He also mentions that the New Place of the Treasury is unknown. This implies the shift to a new location, likely referring to the Exterior Treasury in the Hall of Audience near Kubbealti, as mentioned by Piri Pasha to Yavuz Sultan Selim.
