Seraglio

A seraglio, also known as a harem, is a private area within a palace where a ruler’s wives, concubines, and female attendants reside. Historically, it was common in some Middle Eastern and Ottoman cultures, serving as a protected and secluded space for the women associated with the ruler. The term can also refer to the entire women’s quarters. It was often a place of both social activity and privacy, with strict protocols to maintain security and discretion. Today, the term is less commonly used, but it historically represented a distinct, enclosed part of royal or noble residences focused on courtship, family, and privacy.