Istanbul Archaeology Museum

Istanbul is a city of history. The most interesting things of the history of Istanbul are collected in this museum.

Magnificent "six" of Istanbul Archaeology Museum.

Istanbul Archaeology Museum is a landmark of the city, where you need more than one day to explore everything. It has more than a million exhibits! To lighten your task, we have compiled the top ten of the most famous exhibits of this museum. So...

Alexander Sarcophagus

Sarcophagus, called the tomb of Alexander by mistake, did not really belong to Alexander of Macedon. This outstanding sculptural monument was produced for one of the Greek kings of Asia Minor (actual Turkey). The error occurred due to the fact that on the sarcophagus the battle is depicted of Alexander of Macedon with the Persians. This is one of the most expressive bas-reliefs of the world! The figures seemed to move...

Moloch

The vast statue of the Phoenician deity, located just outside the entrance to the museum, is striking with its size. Phoenician priests threw children in the huge mouth of brutish deity, who slided into flames under a special chute.

Egyptian Sarcophagi

As you know, for many years Egypt was a part of the Ottoman Empire. Therefore, there are a lot of Egyptian sarcophagi with well-preserved mummies of pharaohs in Istanbul. Some of these monuments of Egypt and the Ottoman Empire can be seen in a separate hall in Archaeology Museum.

Golden Horn Chains

Ever since the Byzantine Empire, the city was constantly besieged by the warlike tribes. The Khazars, Slavs, Arabs... Many have tried to capture Constantinople from the sea. To avoid this, the defenders of the city blocked off the waters of the Bosphorus with the huge chain at the narrowest point. A piece of this chain is preserved and put on display in Archaeology Museum.

The first Peace Treaty

Here you will see a unique document - the first formal peace treaty. This is a tablet with the signatures of Pharaoh of Egypt and the Hittite emperor, who made peace after a bloody war.

Ottoman pottery

You will see unique porcelain in a separate pavilion. Chinese, Japanese and Ottoman, it strikes the imagination of tourists both with its quantity and quality. Get ready for the fact that the abundance of bright and whimsically decorated tiles will make you feel dizzy. Porcelain in this building is everywhere - even on the walls and ceiling...