Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The complex has three main parts: the Archaeology Museum (Arkeoloji Müzesi), the
Museum of the Ancient Orient (Eski Şark Eserler Müzesi) and the Tiled Pavilion (Çinili
Köşk). These museums house the palace collections formed during the late 19th century
by museum director, artist and archaeologist Osman Hamdi Bey. The complex can be eas-
ily reached by walking down the slope from Topkapı's First Court, or by walking up the
hill from the main gate of Gülhane Park.
Museum of the Ancient Orient
Immediately on the left after you enter the complex, this 1883 building has a collection of
pre-Islamic items collected from the expanse of the Ottoman Empire. Highlights include a
series of large blue-and-yellow glazed-brick panels that once lined the processional street
and the Ishtar gate of ancient Babylon. The panels depict real and mythical animals such
as lions, dragons and bulls.
Archaeology Museum
On the opposite side of the courtyard is this imposing neoclassical building housing an ex-
tensive collection of classical statuary and sarcophagi plus a sprawling exhibit document-
ing İstanbul's history.
A Roman statue of Bes, an impish half-god of inexhaustible power who was thought to
protect against evil, greets visitors as they enter the museum's main entrance. To its left,
past the museum shop, cloakroom and small cafe, are two dimly lit rooms where the mu-
seum's major treasures - sarcophagi from the Royal Necropolis of Sidon and surrounding
area - are displayed. These sarcophagi were unearthed in 1887 by Osman Hamdi Bey in
Sidon (Side in modern-day Lebanon).
In the next room is an impressive collection of ancient grave-cult sarcophagi from
Syria, Lebanon, Thessalonica and Ephesus. Beyond that is a room called
Columned Sar-
cophagi of Anatolia
, filled with amazingly detailed sarcophagi dating from between 140
and 270 AD. Many of these look like tiny temples or residential buildings; don't miss the
Sidamara Sarcophagus
from Konya.
Further rooms contain Lycian monuments and examples of Anatolian architecture from
antiquity.
Back towards the statue of Bes is a staircase leading up to the underwhelming 'Anatolia
and Troy Through the Ages' and 'Neighbouring Cultures of Anatolia, Cyprus, Syria and
Palestine' exhibitions.
