The Istanbul Archaeological Museum Complex is between Topkapı Palace and Gülhane Park (the former imperial rose garden). It consists of three museums:
- The Archaeology Museum
- The Museum of the Ancient Orient
- The Museum of Islamic Art (Tiled Kiosk).
Together, these three museums contain a collection of more than one million ancient artifacts from Asia Minor and other regions that were once part of the Ottoman Empire.
Courtyard
Just inside the complex’s entrance is a courtyard with a cafe. The courtyard displays columns, capitals, and other architectural fragments. Just outside the main archaeology museum are fine purple porphyry sarcophagi, which once contained the bodies of Byzantine emperors and empresses. These sarcophagi were initially kept at the Church of the Holy Apostles, which was destroyed by fire when the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453.
The Archaeology Museum
The Archaeology Museum is the main building of the Istanbul Archaeology Museum Complex. It houses some 45,000 artifacts, displayed in chronological order. The collection is much larger than the display space, so everything is displayed on a rotating basis.
The Sarcophagi Collection
On the first floor are some of the best-preserved ancient sarcophagi in the world. Most were found in 1877 during archaeological digs near Sidon, in Lebanon.
The Alexander Sarcophagus
The deeply carved sides of the Alexander sarcophagus portray Alexander the Great during peace and war. The wartime scene probably depicts the Battle of Issus, during which Alexander and his forces routed the Persians from Asia Minor, ultimately resulting in Greek rule of the entire Mediterranean region. This tomb, however, did not belong to Alexander. It probably belonged to Abdalonymos, one of Alexander’s generals who became King of Sidon after the Battle of Issus.
The Sarcophagus of Mourning Women
As the name suggests, the carvings on this sarcophagus depict mourning women. It is from the Hellenistic Period and believed to belong to a king of Sidon who died in 360 BC.
Satrap Sarcophagus
Believed to be from the Persian Achaemenid Empire, and the 5th century BC. It probably belonged to a Persian satrap.
Lycian Sarcophagus
This is a fine example of the sarcophagi style used in Lycia, in the southwest region of Asia Minor. It has a high-arched lid and Greek-style reliefs carved on the sides.
Anthropoid Sarcophagi
The anthropoid sarcophagi are made with the features of the person inside, especially the face. The Tabnit Sarcophagus depicts the face of the Phoenician King Tabnit (reigned 549—539 BC). It is also decorated with Egyptian and Phoenician inscriptions that have never been translated.
Other Displays
Upper floors of the Archaeological Museum display statues and sculptures, funerary portrait sculptures, and a reconstruction of the Temple of Athena at Assos.
Museum of the Ancient Orient
Across the courtyard from the Archaeology Museum is the Museum of the Ancient Orient. It contains artifacts from Anatolia (Asia Minor) and surrounding regions, dating back to the Early Bronze Age. The artifacts are those of the Hittites, Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Urartians, Mesopotamians, Syrians, Persians, Palestinians, and Arabs.
Treaty of Kadesh
The most interesting ancient artifact in the Museum of the Ancient Orient is a clay tablet with cuneiform writing. The 1259 BC Treaty of Kadesh, between Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II and Hittite King Hatusili III, is the oldest peace treaty ever discovered. It is the original treaty. A copy is displayed at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.
Other Displays
The other floors of the Museum of the Ancient Orient display a 9th-century BC Hittite guardian lion, a statue of a deified king of Babylon from 2000 BC, lion and bull reliefs from the Ishtar gate of Babylon, 9th-century BC Hittite grave stelae, Greek and Roman bronzes, and a collection of ancient coins.
Museum of Islamic Art (Tiled Kiosk)
The Museum of Islamic Art contains no archaeological relics. Instead, it displays fine, rare Turkish tiles and ceramics. The Tiled Kiosk was built by Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II (reigned 1444–1481), who conquered Constantinople in 1453.
The building’s construction suggests the architect was Persian since it has a typical Persian facade, including polygonal pillars and stone-framed bricks. The entrance has a 14-column marble arcade. The interior consists of a large main room and six smaller rooms.
Besides the tiles displayed on the interior walls, there are fine ceramics from the Selçuk and Ottoman periods.
Where Is the Istanbul Archaeological Museum Complex?
The Istanbul Archaeological Museum Complex is between the west wall of Topkapı Palace and Gülhane Park, the former imperial rose garden. The entrance is accessible via two routes.
Istanbul Archaeological Museum Complex Map
For the larger Google custom map, click here.
From the outer gate of Topkapı Palace:
- Walk west along the outside of the palace wall (which will be on your right)
- Turn right at the corner.
- Walk 120 meters (130 yards) along the wall to the museum complex entrance.
From the Gülhane Tram Stop
The tram runs up and down Alemdar Caddesi (street). The Gülhane Tram Stop is 350 meters (382 yards) north of the Hagia Sophia. From the Gülhane Tram Stop:
- Walk 40 meters (48 yards) north on Alemdar Caddesi and enter Gülhane Park using the entrance on the right.
- Walk west on one of the park paths to the museum complex’s entrance.
Address and Contact Info
Address: Alemdar Caddesi Osman Hamdi Bey Yoluşu Sokak, 34122 Gülhane/Fatih/Istanbul.
Telephone: +90 (212) 52077 40
E-mail: istanbularkeoloji@ktb.gov.tr
Visiting Hours
The Archaeology Museum Complex is open daily.
Summer (1 April to 31 October): 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
Winter (1 November to 31 March): 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM.
Note: The ticket booth closes one hour before the Museum Complex closes.
An audio guide for the Istanbul Archaeological Museum is available at the ticket booth.
Virtual Tour of the Istanbul Archaeology Museum
Turkiye’s General Directorate of Cultural Assets and Museums has released a virtual tour of the Istanbul Archaeology Museum Complex.
Ken Grubb
Ken Grubb is a retired Special Agent of the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) and an adjunct instructor at the University of Maryland. He has lived in Türkiye for over twenty years, researching and writing about Türkiye’s ancient Christian sites. He now helps churches organize group tours to visit these sites.
