The Great Palace Mosaics Museum is located in the historical peninsula of Istanbul near the Blue Mosque and hosts numerous mosques of Byzantine palaces. At the same time it is among the important Istanbul museums.
When we look at the history of the Great Palace Mosaics Museum; In the Byzantine period, there were Byzantine palaces in every area from Hagia Sophia to Hippodrom. The mosaics in this period were described as the most unique works of the palaces.
The total area of the mosaics, which were invited from the various regions of the country and used to work 40.000 pieces in one square meter, covered 1870 square meters. After this period, it is thought that the area of the mosaic covered with marble slabs in the 7th and 8th centuries due to the ban on paintings is reached without destruction on this day.
During the Ottoman period, after the relocation of the palaces to the Golden Horn region against the dangers from the sea, a Turkish Quarter was established in this palace area covered with soil, during the reign of Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. After the excavations started in 1921 after the remnants emerged in this locality, which had completely disappeared after the fire here in 1912, and after the excavations made between 1935 and 1951, the large courtyard decorated with mosaics and surrounding palace remains were unearthed.
The mosaics, which were dismantled, cleaned, restored and brought back together in their original places, were opened in 1997 as the Great Palace Mosaics Museum, which has the most beautiful mosaics of the world, in the Arasta Bazaar in the direction of the Blue Mosque.
Great Palace Mosaics Museum Visiting Hours
It is open between 09.00-16.00 every day except Monday.
Tel: (0212) 518 12 05
Our previous article Harbiye Military Museum in our article titled Chinili Palace, Harbiye Military ve Istanbul Archaeological Museums provides information about.
