Istanbul Archaeological Museum

Istanbul Archaeological Museum is located in the city center, near Gulhane Park and Topkapi Palace. The Archaeological Museum was founded at the end of the XIX century. Today, the exposition of the museum is located on the territory of three buildings - the main building, the Tile Pavilion and the Museum of the Ancient East.

The central building in the neoclassical style was erected specifically for the museum during 1881-1902, although the opening of the museum took place much earlier than the completion of construction - in 1891. Later, in 1935, the Museum of the Ancient East was opened, before the museum, the School of Fine Arts was located in this building. The tile pavilion was included in the complex of the Archaeological Museum only in 1981. However, the history of the Tile Pavilion is the oldest of the three, it was built in 1472 by order of Mehmed II. The tile pavilion belongs to the most important architectural monuments of the period of the early Ottoman Empire.

As for the exposition of the Archaeological Museum, it consists of an incredible number of priceless specimens. These are masterpieces of art of the ancient and Byzantine period, and artifacts that were discovered during the excavations of Troy, as well as a large number of other valuable items.