After the conquest of Constantinople by Mehmed the Conqueror in 1453, the former palaces of the Byzantine Emperors were abandoned. The new sultan selected a vast area on the Third Hill as the site of his palace. Today that space is occupied by the central buildings of the University of Istanbul. In 1459, Mehmed decided to build a new palace on the First Hill. The construction lasted for about 18 years, from 1460 until 1478. The Topkapi Palace, which means the Canon Gate Palace, would become from then on the home of the Ottoman sultans and their court. It would also be the political and administrative centre of the Ottoman empire until the middle of the 19th century. At that time, Topkapi could not meet the spirit of the modern Age and Dolmabahçe Palace was, thus, built in a more European style to become the new home of the sultan and his family. However, 1922 marked the end of the monarchy and the Ottoman Empire. Two years later, Topkapı Palace was converted into a museum by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey.