Description
The Turkish and Islamic Art Museum is the first museum in our country that brings together Turkish and Islamic art, and it stands out as the last museum opened during the Ottoman Empire. The museum's director, Hüma-yun Osman Hamdi Bey, formed a committee to establish a new museum to prevent the continued theft of historical endowments and the buildings of religious institutions such as mosques, tekkes (lodges), dergahs (prayer halls), and tombs. After collecting artifacts including carpets, kilims, manuscripts, wooden doors, pulpits, oil lamps, and other items from the foundation buildings, the museum was first opened in 1914 in the Imaret (Charity House) building within the complex of Suleymaniye Mosque, one of the most important mosques. Architect Sinan's structures were initially named "Islamic Foundation Museum." After the declaration of the Republic and the naming of the state as "Türkiye Cumhuriyeti" on October 29, 1923, it was renamed as the "Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts" and moved to Ibrahim Pasha Palace west of the Blue Mosque Square in 1983. Like the palaces, the museum building is one of the oldest surviving palace buildings to this day, dating back to the late 15th century.
Ibrahim Pasha Palace, one of the most important examples of Ottoman civil architecture, rises above the ancient "Horse Racing Square." In 1520, it was restored by Suleiman the Lawgiver and presented to his son-in-law and grand vizier, Ibrahim Pasha the Elder. Besides serving as a ministerial palace, it functioned as a "spectator palace" during certain periods. In 1530, Sultan Suleiman the Lawgiver witnessed the circumcision ceremonies of the princes Mustafa, Mehmet, and Selim from the terrace of Ibrahim Pasha Palace.
The high-arched structure surrounds the terrace with porticos on three sides. One of the most beautiful places in the museum is this terrace overlooking Sultan Ahmet Square (Blue Mosque).
The Turkish and Islamic Art Museum underwent extensive restoration in 1982 for exhibition arrangements with a new understanding of the display. It was reopened in 2014, marking the centenary of its first opening.
