Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Top Sights
İstanbul Archaeology Museums
This superb museum complex houses archaeological and
artistic treasures from the Imperial collections. Housed in
three buildings that were once part of Topkapı Palace, its
exhibits include ancient artefacts, classical statuary and ob-
jects showcasing Anatolian history. Though there are many
highlights, history buffs will find the
İstanbul Through the
Ages
exhibition, which focuses on the city's Byzantine
past, particularly satisfying, and admirers of classical art
will be blown away by the carved Alexander and Mourning
Women Sarcophagi.
OFFLINE MAP
Osman Hamdi Bey Yokuşu, Gül-
hane
admission 10
9am-6pm Tue-Sun mid-
Apr-Sep, till 4pm Oct-mid-Apr
Gülhane
Don't Miss
Archaeology Museum
This imposing neoclassical building is the heart of the museum complex. It houses an ex-
tensive collection of classical statuary and sarcophagi, including the extraordinary
Alexan-
der Sarcophagus
, carved out of Pentelic marble and dating from the last quarter of the 4th
century BC.
The Columned Sarcophagi of Anatolia
Amazingly detailed sarcophagi dating from between 140 and 270 AD feature in this exhib-
it. Many look like tiny temples or residential buildings; don't miss the
Sidamara Sarco-
phagus
from Konya.
İstanbul Through the Ages
Tracing the city's history using objects and interpretive panels, this exhibit has two sec-
tions: a dusty but undeniably fascinating floor above the Statuary Galleries filled with Ar-
