The Third Courtyard was designed as a strictly controlled zone embodying the sovereignty and sanctity of the Ottoman sultan. Its spatial arrangement reflects a dual function: first, as the center of imperial ritual and reception, and second, as the site of education and residence for the elite Enderûn school. Key structures within the courtyard include the Audience Chamber (Arz Odası), where the sultan received viziers and foreign ambassadors; the Privy Chamber (Has Oda), considered the spiritual heart of the palace; the Library of Ahmed III, and various treasury rooms such as the Chamber of Holy Relics and the Imperial Treasury.

The architectural character of the courtyard is marked by symmetry, limited axiality, and the use of enclosed gardens and tiled interiors rather than grand monumental façades. This inward orientation emphasizes privacy, hierarchy, and ceremonial exclusivity. Unlike the expansive First and Second Courtyards, the Third Courtyard served not as a thoroughfare but as a highly restricted precinct, reinforcing the mystique of the sultan’s presence.

The space also housed the most senior eunuchs, tutors, and pages, who formed the core of the Enderûn system—an elite training institution for administrative and military leadership. Access to this courtyard was an honor tightly regulated by protocol, and violation of its sanctity was a capital offense. In architectural and symbolic terms, the Third Courtyard functioned as the axis of dynastic legitimacy, linking imperial privacy, ritual authority, and central governance within a confined ceremonial geometry.

Beyond the Gate of Felicity is the Third Courtyard (III. Avlu), also called the Inner Palace (Enderûn Avlusu), which is the heart of the palace. It is a lush garden surrounded by the Hall of the Privy Chamber (Has Oda), the treasury, the harem and the library of Ahmed III. The layout of the Third Courtyard was established by Mehmed II. The Hünername miniature from 1584 shows the Third Courtyard and the surrounding outer gardens.

circa 1475 CE

Chamber of Petitions (Arz Odası)
The Audience Chamber, also known as the Chamber of Petitions, is right behind the Gate of Felicity. This square building is an Ottoman kiosk, surrounded by a colonnade of 22 columns supporting the large roof with hanging eaves. The building dates from the 15th century CE. The ceiling of the chamber was painted in ultramarine blue and studded with golden stars. The walls were lined with blue, white and turquoise tiles.

circa 1719 CE

Library of Sultan Ahmed III (Enderûn Kütüphanesi)
The Neo-classical Enderûn Library, also known as "Library of Sultan Ahmed III" (III. Ahmed Kütüphanesi), is located directly behind the Audience Chamber (Arz Odası) in the centre of the Third Court. The library is a beautiful example of Ottoman architecture of the 18th century. It was built on the foundations of the earlier Havuzlu kiosk by the royal architect Mimar Beşir Ağa in 1719 on orders of Ahmed III for use by officials of the royal household.

circa 1460 CE

Mosque of the Ağas (Ağalar Camii)
It is the largest mosque in the palace. It is also one of the oldest constructions, dating from the 15th century during the reign of Mehmed II. The Sultan, the ağas and pages would come here to pray. The mosque is aligned in a diagonal line in the courtyard to make the minbar face Mecca.