Ibrahim Pasa Palace, known as
Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art is built in 1524 by
Ibrahim Pasa, Grand Vizier of Suleyman the Magnificent.
The palace that was the biggest private residence ever
built in Ottoman Empire was converted to a museum
containing beautiful Turkish and Persian miniatures,
Seljuk tiles, Korans and antique carpets.
Turkish and Islamic Works Museum is the first
Turkish museum covering the Turkish and Islamic
art works wholly. The establishment works that
have been started at the end of 19th century
have been completed in 1913 and the museum has
been opened for visit in the soup kitchen
building located in Süleymaniye Mosque complex,
which is one of the most important works of
Mimar Sinan, with the name of "Evkaf - I
Islamiyet Müzesi" (Islamic Foundations Museum).
After the announcement of the republic, it has
taken the name "Turkish and Islamic Works Museum".
The museum has been moved to Ibrahim Pasha
Palace from the soup kitchen building in 1983.
Ibrahim Pasha Palace, which is one of the most
important samples of 16th Century Ottoman civil
architecture samples is on the stages of the
historical hippodrome, the history of which goes
back to the Roman Period. This building, the
precise construction reason and date are not
known, has been presented to İbrahim Pasha by
Kanuni Sultan Süleyman in 1520, who would be his
grand vizier for 13 years.
Ibrahim Pasha Palace, which is claimed to be
bigger and more magnificent than Topkapı Palace
by the history has been the stage of many
weddings, feasts and celebrations as well as
rebellions and turmoil and called with the name
of İbrahim Pasha after the death of this person
in 1536. It has been used by other grand viziers,
and had functions such as barracks, embassy
palace, register office, Janissary band house,
sewing workshop and prison.
The palace located around four big internal
courtyards has been made of stone in contrast
with many Ottoman civilian buildings, most of
which are wooden, therefore it could reach today
and has been repaired between the years 1966 -
1983 and has been born again as the new building
of Turkish and Islamic Works Museum. The section,
which is used as a museum today is the big
ceremony hall of the palace and the 2nd
courtyard surrounding it, which have been the
subject of all Ottoman miniatures of the palace
and the gravures and tables of Western artists.
Turkish and Islamic Works Museum has been
awarded with the Special Jury Award of Museum of
the Year Competition of the European Council in
1984 and with the prize given by European
Council - Unesco for its studies for making the
children love the culture inheritance.
Turkish and Islamic Works Museum, that is among
the important museums of the world in its class
has works from almost all periods and all types
of Islamic art with its collection exceeding
forty thousand works.
Address: Ibrahim Pasa Sarayi, Sultanahmet
Telephone: +90-212 518 18 05
Open Hours: Open 09:30-17:00 daily, except
Monday
