ISTANBUL'S MUSEUMS
Archaeological Museum
This
complex was build by the end of 19th century by famous Turkish painter Osman
Hamdi Bey. It includes the exquisite Tiled Kiosk and the Museum of the
Ancient Orient and houses a large collection of artifacts and works of
art
belonging to ancient Greek, Roman and other Anatolian
civilizations dating back to the 6th century BC. The Sarcophagus of Alexander
the Great, Sarcophagus of Mourning Ladies, and other ancient sarcophagi and
various objects found in the Sidon excavation are among
its most interesting pieces.
Open daily between 09:30-17:00 except Mondays.
Tel: (212) 520 77 40
The Ataturk Museum
House where Ataturk lived and worked before
the War of Independence during his stay in
Istanbul.
between 1918 and 1919, originally was built in 1908 and restored by the
Municipality of Istanbul in 1943. Top floor of this
building was reserved to His mother Zübeyde Hanim and His sister Makbule,
meanwhile Ataturk used middle floor for himself and
lower floor for His loyal officer.
Open daily between 09:30-16:00 except Thursdays and Sundays.
Tel: (212) 240 63 19
Calligraphy Museum
Interesting and valuable examples of the Turkish art
of the pen, especially from Ottoman and
Seljuk periods.
Open daily between 09:00-16:00 except Sundays and Mondays.
Tel: (212) 527 58 51
Sadberk Hanim Museum
This museum is a beautiful three-story "yali" (old Ottoman
house) by the Bosphorus and houses a rich collection
of Anatolian-based works of art,
antiques and relics dating from 6000 BC. It is the first private museum
of Turkey opened by Koç family, the richest
of Turkey.
Open daily between 10:30-17:00 except Wednesdays.
Tel: (212) 242 38 13
Modern Arts Museum
Opened its doors in December 2004 thanks to Eczacibasi family,
this is the first and only Modern Arts museum in Istanbul.
It's housed at renovated old docks in Karaköy district facing
Topkapi Palace, with a rich library,
exhibitions, photograph gallery, sculpture courtyard, movie theater, cafe and
souvenir shop. One can find in this private museum almost everything on
Turkish Arts.
Open daily between 10:00-18:00 except Mondays.
Tel: (212) 334 73 00
Museum of Painting and Sculpture
Fine collection of 19th and 20th century Turkish painting and sculpture.
Tel: (212) 261 42 98
Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art (Ibrahim Pasa Palace)
Fine
collection of art and ethnography in the lovely setting
of Ibrahim Pasa Palace in the old Hippodrome area.
It was built in the 16th century and donated to Grand
Vizier Ibrahim Pasha by the great sultan
Suleyman the Magnificent.
Open daily between 09:30-17:00 except Mondays.
Tel: (212) 18 18 05
Military Museum
A display of Turkish military culture over the centuries. There is also
a Janissary Band show daily between 3-4 pm.
Open daily between 08:30-17:00 except Mondays and Tuesdays.
Tel: (212) 232 16 98
Naval Museum
It displays the uniforms of the Turkish sailors, models of Turkish naval
vessels, and paintings, engravings and maps related to Turkish maritime
history. Sultans' row-boats (saltanat
kayigi) are on display on its lower floor.
Open daily between 09:00-17:00 except Monday and Tuesdays.
Tel: (212) 261 00 40
Aya Sofya (Haghia Sophia) Museum
The ancient Byzantine church, built between 532-537
AD after the Nika Riot, was later converted
to a mosque with the addition of minarets
in mid-15th century. The remarkable structure with its 56m high immense
dome is a museum today in which you can see both Christian
and Islamic art. There are
good examples of the Byzantine mosaics as well.
For about 1000 years this was the largest church in the world, and glory
of the Byzantine Empire.
Open daily between 09:30-16:30 except Mondays.
Tel: (212) 522 17 50
Kariye Museum (Church of St. Saviour in
Chora)
Ancient
Byzantine church later converted into
a mosque in the 15th century AD. It is now a museum
of Byzantine mosaics and frescoes. The typical
Ottoman
neighborhood with wooden houses is also very interesting to stroll around.
Open daily between 09:30-16:30 except Wednesdays.
Tel: (212) 631 92 41
Mosaics Museum
This museum, opened to the public in 1953, consists of the remains of
the Great Palace of the Byzantine Empire built
by Constantine the Great (324-337). These
remains consists of mosaics, columns and other architectural
pieces which had once been part of the Great Palace.
Open daily between 09:00-17:30 except Tuesdays
Tel: (212) 518 12 05
Yerebatan Sarayi (Cistern Basilica)
Byzantine
cistern from the 6th century built by Justinian I. It features fine brick
vaulting supported by 336 various type of columns. The Basilica now houses
a cafeteria and hosts musical and theatrical performances
and a Biannual. There are also
two Medusa friezes brought from the
Temple of Apollo in Didyma
(today's Didim). Its dimensions are 140x70x9 meters.
Open daily between 09:00-18:30
Tel: (212) 522 12 59
Camlica Hill
Situated on the Asian side of Istanbul, this
262 m. hill provides a panoramic view of the city and has nice restaurants
and cafeterias. It is also a well known spot for watching migrating birds over
the Bosphorus.
Open every day.
Sultanahmet Meydani (Hippodrome)
Scene of chariot races and the center of Byzantine
civic life. It was the place where the Nika Riot
started in 532 AD. There are an Egyptian Obelisk,
a stone obelisk and the Serpentine Column which were originally brought
by the emperors and used for the decoration of the Hippodrome. Today it's a nice area for picnics and meetings.
Open everyday.
Kapalicarsi (Grand Bazaar)
Built in the 15th century as a complex of 3,000 shops selling raw materials
to be used in clothes manufacturing, the Covered Bazaar fulfills a viable
commercial function to this day. The Bazaar's fine shops and exotic atmosphere,
mingling the ancient and new, make it a "must-see" in Istanbul.
It's divided into many sections such as leather, rugs, souvenirs, copper,
antiques, textile etc. There are 18 gates and 60 streets inside.
Open everyday except Sundays and
National Holidays.
Misir Carsisi (The Egyptian Spice Bazaar)
Built in the 17th century next to the Golden
Horn, the Spice Bazaar is the second largest covered bazaar in Istanbul.
Originally housing shops selling medicine and spices, the Spice Bazaar
continues to fulfill its original function. This distinguished example
of Ottoman architecture
continues to sparkle with life even today.
Open everyday except Sundays and
National Holidays.
There are many other museums like; Anadolu Fortress,
Asiyan museum, Aviation museum, Beylerbeyi
Palace, City museum, Dolmabahce Palace,
the Florence Nightingale museum, Rahmi Koç
Technology museum, Sakip Sabanci Art museum, museum of Adam Mickiewicz, museum of Caricature and
Humor, museum of Divan Literature, museum of the Ancient Orient, Press
museum, Rumeli Fortress, Tanzimat museum, Yildiz
Chalet, Tekfur Palace museum, Topkapi Palace
etc. For more information please contact to: Mr. . ..
.
.
1997-2004
Istanbul-Turkey