Mosaic Museum, Istanbul

Photo © Holly Hayes. View all images in our Mosaic Museum Photo Gallery.

Photo © Holly Hayes.

In 1933 excavators discovered a series of mosaics below what is now the Arasta Bazaar, identified as the floor of a peristyle courtyard (open court with porticos) of Constantine's Great Palace.

After more mosaics were unearthed in the 1950s, only then did the city fully grasp the scope of the find, and much to the chagrin of the owners of 16 of the shops, a museum was built to enclose the site.

What to See

Although the collection is not as momentous as that of the Chora, this museum is worth an hour of your time, representing an earlier artistic era absent of religious motifs, showing instead hunting scenes and scenes from mythology.

Quick Facts on Mosaic Museum

Site Information
Names:	Büyük Saray Mozaik Müzesi; Great Palace Mosaic Museum; Great Palace Mosaic Museum, Istanbul; Mosaic Museum
City:	Istanbul
Country:	Turkey
cat:	Museums
feat:	Byzantine Mosaics; Roman Mosaics
Dates:	c. 540
Visitor and Contact Information
Address:	Torun Sokak, Istanbul, Turkey
Coordinates:	41.004367° N, 28.977368° E (view on Google Maps)
Opening Hours:	Tue-Sun 9am-4:30pm
Cost:	5 TL
Tips:	The museum is right behind the Blue Mosque on the east side.
Phone:	(+90) 212 518 1205
Lodging:	View hotels near this location

Note: This information was accurate when first published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

Map of Mosaic Museum

Below is a location map and aerial view of Mosaic Museum. Using the buttons on the left (or the wheel on your mouse), you can zoom in for a closer look, or zoom out to get your bearings. To move around, click and drag the map with your mouse.

More Information

The Great Palace Mosaic Museum - official website from the Turkey Ministry of Culture
The Great Palace - Welcome to Constantinople by Prof. Robert Ousterhout
Werner Jobst, Istanbul, The Great Palace Mosaic: The Story of its Exploration, Preservation and Exhibition 1983-1997 (1997).
Istanbul Mosaic Museum on the Web - "the unofficial but still comprehensive homepage" by Tim Spalding
Istanbul Mosaic Museum - IgoUgo travel journal entry
The Mosaic Museum - travel journal entry by Larry Stillman
Mosaic Museum, Istanbul - Go Historic
Photos of Mosaic Museum - here on Sacred Destinations

Article Info

Title:	Mosaic Museum, Istanbul
Author:	Holly Hayes
Last updated:	09/18/2009
Permalink:	www.sacred-destinations.com/turkey/istanbul-mosaic-museum
Link code:	<a href="http://www.sacred-destinations.com/turkey/istanbul-mosaic-museum">Mosaic Museum, Istanbul</a>