On appoaching the Imperial Gate leading into the outer courtyard of Topkapi Place one's attention is immediately attracted by the row of old Istanbul houses in the street running off the left. This narrow street between the palace walls and Ayasofya is known as the "Street of the Cool Fountain". The houses built against the palace walls form part of a complex that includes the fountain dated 1810 that gives the street its name and a cistern forming part of the chain of great water depots from the Roman period, the whole reflecting the character of a city that has served as capital of three great empires. In the last twenty-five to thirty years, a period which has seen great changes in the size of the Istanbul population and the lost of the old economic balance, the street of the Cool Fountain was gradually abandoned by its former owners, leaving the houses in a state of neglect and dilapi- dation. In 1985-6 the district was taken in hand by the Turkish Touring and Automobile Association, which has restored many old sections of Istanbul, and revitalised in the service of present-day tourism and cultu- ral life. The whole complex was completely rebuilt as the property of the Association and the old street restored to its former state using modern materials.

The nine buildings in the street, which begins with the house owned by the Directorate of Pious Foundations immediately adjacent to the Imperial Gate, were converted into a row of questhouses. The Roman cistern was restored and opened to the public as a taverna in the Roman style. The nine hotel buildings consist of a row of questhouses with a reception office between the cistern and the library. On arrival, the visitor receives a single key from the reception office serving both for the street door and the door of the room, making the visitor feel completely at home. The visitor is met by a single member of staff. Every house in this street, which is completely closed to traffic, greets the visitor with the name or perfume, such as Jasmine House, Honeysuckle House, Rose Mansion, Cyclamen House, etc. etc. The houses consist of between five and ten rooms, each furnished in a particular colour: the Yellow Room, Blue Room or Green Room. The interior is furnished in the 19th century Turkish style in which traditional taste and Western influence achieved a perfect balance. The armchairs with tasselled fringes, the velvet curtains, the brackets and mirrors, all offer the visitor a warm, friendly atmosphere. On opening the window one is confron- ted by the breathtaking view of Ayasofya towering up in front.