Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art

This museum is housed in the former 16th century palace of Suleiman the Magnificent’s Grand Vizier, Ibrahim Pasha. The museum holds approximately 40,000 pieces spanning from the 7th to 19th century. The items are displayed in sections including texts and manuscripts; carpets and rugs; mining; glass and ceramics; wood work; ethnography; coins and stamps and stone work.

Among the highlights of the museum is a magnificent collection of 1,700 carpets which were amazing. Other outstanding pieces include illustrated Qurans from all the ruling Islamic states from the 7th century to the 20th century. Some of these are really gorgeous. There is also an illustration of how Turkish architecture changed from tents to 19th century palaces.

Calligraphy is a serious form of Islamic art and there was an interesting display on how it developed.Read more