Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts
 
Over 40,000 items are on display in the former palace of Ibrahim Pasa (c.1493-1536), the most gifted of Siileyman's many grand viziers. The collection was begun in the 19th century and ranges from the earliest period of Islam, under the Omayyad caliphate (661-750), through to modern times.
Each room concentrates on a different chronological period or geographical area of the Islamic world, with detailed explanations in both Turkish and English. The museum is particularly renowned for its collection of rugs. These range from 13th-century Seljuk fragments to the palatial Persian silks that cover the walls from floor to ceiling in the palace's great hall.
On the ground floor, an ethnographic section focuses on the lifestyles of different Turkish peoples, particularly the nomads of central and eastern Anatolia. The exhibits include recreations of a round felt yurt (Turkic nomadic tent) and a traditional brown tent.

TURKISH AND ISLAMIC ARTS MUSEUM TOUR

With a thoughtful and manageable collection of artifacts spanning the course of Turkish and Islamic civilizations, this museum is a convenient place to get a glimpse into the rich cultural fabric of this region. You'll see carpets, calligraphy, ceramics, Quran holders, and lots more. Almost as interesting as the collection is its setting: the Ibrahim Paşa Palace, one of Istanbul's great surviving Ottoman palaces. For more on the history of the building, see page 74 in the Historic Core of Istanbul Walk.

ORIENTATION

Hours: Tue-Sun 9:00-17:00, last entry at 16:30, closed Mon.
Getting There: It's centrally located in the Old Town's Sultanahmet area, across the Hippodrome (and its Egyptian Obelisk) from the Blue Mosque. From the Sultanahmet tram stop, simply cross through the park toward the Blue Mosque, then jog a few steps right when you hit the Hippodrome.
Information: Temporary exhibitions are located on the entrance level. Tel. 0212/518-1805.
Length of This Tour: Allow one hour.
Baggage Check and WCs: A cloakroom is at the entrance, and you're required to check large bags. WCs are located by the staircase that leads to the central courtyard.
Cuisine Art: The cafeteria is just to the right as you enter the central courtyard. On the left side of the courtyard, the terrace has a great view of the Hippodrome and the Blue Mosque.
Photography: Not allowed.

Starring: The "richest carpet collection in the world," ceramic tiles and containers, rare calligraphy samples, and stone, wooden, and metallic art.
Overview
Originally, the Ibrahim Paşa Palace was much bigger, rivaling that of the sultan's. But today, its smaller size makes the museum's layout easy to figure out. The present structure includes the original reception hall of the palace (the south wing), which has a small wooden balcony on the facade that faces the Hippodrome. In this U-shaped building, you'll enter the exhibition hall from the north wing. You'll walk down a long corridor and dip into several rooms along the north and west wings (which used to be palatial guest rooms); then you'll enter the large south wing.

THE TOUR BEGINS

• As you enter the central courtyard, climb the steps to your right, then go through the first door (to your right) to the exhibition hall in the north ■wing. A 13th-century Selçuk lion greets you as you enter the building.

NORTH WING

• When you reach the top of the staircase, turn around 180 degrees. On the back wall of the corridor, behind the staircase, notice the...
Stones and Steles
The stones you see here, dating from the seventh century A.D., are the oldest pieces in the museum's collection. The slab on the left is a milestone, with an inscription in Arabic that states you are only at the beginning of your journey.
• Turn around again, start down the corridor, and go through the first door on the right (acrossfrom the column capitals by the stairs).
Abbasid Palace Art
These two connecting rooms are filled with Islamic art from the Abbasid palaces. The Abbasid dynasty—which ruled the Muslim world for about 550 years (A.D. 700-1250)—-started in Baghdad, and later moved its capital to the nearby city of Samarra. The Abbasid caliph (Islamic leader—see sidebar on opposite page) employed slave-soldiers known as the Mamluk. Most of the Mamluk were originally non-Muslims from the north who had been abducted by slave traders or sold into slavery by impoverished parents. In time, they became a powerful military caste, establishing their sovereignty in Egypt. (We'll see some Mamluk sarcophagi later in this tour.)
The presence of the Mamluk soldiers caused friction with the public. In 836, pressured by the communal leaders of Baghdad, the caliph decided to move the center of the caliphate from Baghdad to the new city of Samarra, which was then a simple military garrison town. Thousands of masons were brought in from all over the Middle East to work at what was then the largest construction site in the world. There was limitless room to build, so structures were planned in immense proportions. (Even the homes of officials and administrators were huge palaces.) The masons created single-story buildings of stone, fired brick, and mud-brick, with summer and winter sections that incorporated baths, canals, and pools.
In the first bay, you can see artifacts from the Cevzak (jehv-zahk) Palace of Samarra. The case on the left displays wall frescoes
 
from the harem; the larger fresco of the two dancers is particularly attractive. On the opposite side are ninth-century wooden fragments used for wall decoration.
In the connecting bay, you'll see ivory items and a fragment from a marble floor (all from Cevzak). The case to the immediate left as you enter displays ceramic pieces from Rakka, a city in modern-day Syria.
• Head back into the corridor. On your right, there's a case built into the wall with marble and stone fragments, and mosaics used in the floor pavement of Samarrapalaces.
Enter the next room on the right.

Objects from the Grand Mosque of Cizre

This room contains the monumental gate of the mid-12th-century Grand Mosque of Cizre (jeez-reh), a small town in eastern Turkey west of the Tigris River. During the Middle Ages, this mosque was one of the most important monuments in Anatolia (Asian part of present-day Turkey). Note the engraved metal decorations of the gate in the case ahead of you. These adornments are actually patches. Made from recycled metal items such as bowls, they were used to replace missing sheets on the doors' panels, showing hunting scenes and other designs. They also contain inscriptions done in the Kufic style, an earlier form of Arabic script written with straighter lines.
On your right, you'll see plans and pictures of the mosque. At the other end of the room, you'll see a magnificent door made of wood, sheeted with copper, held together with iron nails, and reinforced with brass rods. Look at the dragon-shaped handles. The one on the left was stolen in 1969, and somehow showed up in a Copenhagen museum. The lion-shaped middle piece is still on the door wing. Lions and dragons were common designs in Anatolia, and were considered talismans. 'As youface this monumental gate, the doorway on the left leads into a display of...

Selçuk Tiles

This small collection boasts rare and unusual pieces from the 11th to the 13th centuries, the zenith of Selçuk tile art. The intact inscription panel, hanging on the wall straight ahead of you as you enter the room, is particularly impressive.
The Selçuks used tiles to decorate both the interiors and the exteriors of their monuments. The secret to their artistry was the fine clay they used, which contained a large amount of quartz.
The quartz made the tiles durable enough to survive even the harsh weather of the steppes of central Asia. To create the tiles, Selçuk
artisans spread a layer of clay several inches thick on a tray, and cut it into smaller shapes such as triangles, quadrangles, and stars. Then they painted the pieces with colored glazes, and fired the tiles. Unlike thin surface tiles used elsewhere, the Selçuks' thick, glazed tiles were actually integrated into the walls, ceilings, and minarets of buildings. The Selçuks—who favored geometric patterns and a blue, turquoise, and purple color scheme—also created everyday objects that were both decorative and functional, such as vases, cups, and pitchers. Just as you exit the room into the corridor, note the rare pieces of Selçuk stone carvings on your left, including a relief with two Selçuk warriors on the corner. More-stylized reliefs on the wall display bird and dragon motifs embedded in intricate, floral designs. The Selçuk Turks used these motifs extensively on wood and stoneworks to decorate facades and entrances on civil as well as religious architecture. • Now take a few steps down the long corridor. On your left are a few 11th- to 13th-century Selçuk steles. Next to them are two nicely detailed...

Mamluk Sarcophagi

These ceremonial marble sarcophagi date back to the 15th century. The Mamluk, which means "owned" in Arabic, were slave-soldiers (who were converted to Islam) and served the caliphs during the Middle Ages.
• Walk through the doorway across from the sarcophagi.

Selçuk Art

This room features more items from the Selçuk Empire. The first bay shows off 12th- and 13th-century Selçuk objects, including belts, bowls, animal figures, and oil lamps. As you enter the second bay, you'll see a great example of Selçuk woodwork on the wall to your left. These 12th-century door panels, decorated with bronze sheets, are from a public kitchen. Some of the bronze sheets are missing—notice the traces of nails that once held them. To the left of the fireplace is the wooden door of a mimber (pulpit in a mosque).
• Skip the last two bays, which contain Mamluk and transitional items from the Tamerlane period (named for a 14th-century Mongolian warlord). Instead, return to the corridor through the same doorway that you entered. Stop here for a second. Looking toward the far end of the corridor, the left side is lined all the way to the entrance of the south wing with...

Carpets

These are 13th- to 18th-century prayer rugs—or what's left of them after centuries of constant use. The oldest two, next to the Mamluk
sarcophagi, have a dominant red color and prayer-niche designs that reflect their purpose.
Looking at the descriptions, you'll see names such as "Bellini" and "Holbein." These rug designs are named for the European artists who popularized them by painting the designs in the backgrounds of their works. (We'll see more "Holbein carpets" later on this tour.) The European love affair with Turkish or "Oriental" carpets began in the 13th century. For centuries, upper-class Europeans considered a Turkish rug the ultimate status symbol. If you couldn't afford to buy an actual rug, you'd pay an artist to paint one to hang on the wall—or to paint a rug hanging in the background of a portrait.
• Walk along the right wall down the corridor, taking some time to peruse the...

Corridor Showcases

Notice the fun 13th-century bronze drum set, then the bronze and brass candlesticks from the early 13th century. The adjacent case displays an attractive 15th-century brass bowl with intricate designs.
On the left side of the corridor are fragments from very fine 12th- and 13th-century tile pieces. The next case displays glass oil lamps gathered from mosques and shrines, and then—in the case beyond that—a large, unusual lamp with grooves at the bottom to hold candles or oil lamps. Past the doorway, in another case, is a fine, gilded copper lantern from the 15th century.
• Step through the doorway into the next room.
Objects from the Ottoman Empire and Persia
The first three bays in this room contain items from the Ottoman Empire, while the last one displays objects of Persian origin.
• Begin with the...

First Bay: Milet İşi Ceramics

As you enter the first bay, look to the left (next to the fireplace) to see a beautiful Quran holder from the Rüstem Paşa Mosque, located near the Spice Market (described on page 82). Also enjoy the two beautifully shaped candlesticks: 15th-century silver and 14th-century dragon-shaped bronze.
Dominating this bay are ceramic pieces called Milet İşi (mee-leht ee-shee), or Miletus Ware. Scholars initially thought they resembled the ceramics of Miletus, an ancient city along the Aegean Sea, near Ephesus. But they're actually late 14th- and 15th-century ceramics manufactured in Iznik (ancient Nicaea), a town to the east of the Sea of Marmara. Milet İşi, which was produced for just a short time, usually features purple and cobalt-blue colors on a white undercoat, with basic geometric shapes and plant and animal motifs.
• Continue into the...

Second Bay: Quran Holder and iznik Tiles

This bay displays classical Ottoman works. As you enter, look for a separate case on the opposite wall. Full of ornate woodwork and outstanding details, this Quran holder was from the mausoleum of Sultan Selim III in Hagia Sophia.
The other case in this bay contains Iznik tiles and ceramics. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Iznik was the center of tile-making in the empire, manufacturing top-quality and extremely expensive pieces. Because Iznik tiles were hard to make, they were mostly used to decorate palaces and grand mosques in the capital city. Non-decorative, daily-use pieces are very rare. » Continue into the...

Third Bay: Ottoman Metalwork

In the center of the U-shaped case, you'll see examples of Ottoman metalwork. These large bronze and brass minaret tops are called alem (ah-lehm). They have a decorative purpose, but they also work as lightning rods. To the right are metal belts, pins, and aigrettes-—sprays of gems used on turbans. Most are embellished with precious and semi-precious stones.
• Finally, head into the...
Fourth Bay: Persian Items
Dating from the same time period as the Ottoman objects listed above, this collection includes the only Persian carpets in the museum. You'll also find fine examples of book decorations and lacquer covers.
• Leave this room through the doorway on your left, and go back to the corridor. On your right are displays of...
Ottoman Calligraphy
Combine Arabic writing with artistic calligraphy, and you've got hat (pronounced "hot"). The calligrapher (hattat) ignores the rules
of grammar, combining letters in a form that's hard to read but that looks beautiful. At the far end of the corridor, find the 18th-century tuğra (too-rah), or imperial signature, of Sultan Osman III.
• As you near the end of the corridor, the last section on your right is dedicated to...
Late-Ottoman Art
This space, divided into three bays, includes Ottoman title deeds on scrolls signed by the sultans (on the right wall as you enter). Go on a scavenger hunt for the following items: examples of hat (calligraphy), book decorations, mother-of-pearl writing sets, paper cases, an imperial coat of arms in an extravagant frame, and an interesting compass.
• When you're done, exit back into the corridor. On the other side of the corridor is the entrance to the larger and longer south wing of the building. But first, to the left of this doorway are tile frames decorated with scenes of Iznik, Kaaba in Mecca (the holiest place in Islam), and Medina (a Saudi Arabian city, second only to Mecca to Muslims). On the wall behind them is a rug with Kaaba design. Now continue into the...

SOUTH WING

•As you enter the south wing, you'll see some so-called...

Holbein Carpets

These are named for the German painter Hans Holbein the Younger (1497-1543). Holbein served as a court painter to Henry VIII, was considered a master portrait artist, and illustrated the first German translation of the Bible. He liked to paint Oriental carpets (and other handicrafts) in the backgrounds of his paintings and court frescoes. Europeans who had seen these designs in the paintings wanted to own a similar carpet in real life...and Turkish carpet-makers happily obliged.
Even though these designs carry his name, Holbein didn't originate the designs. For example, Holbein carpets often have
large eight-pointed stars, which was unusual in Ottoman carpets of the time; rather, this motif is more common in earlier Selçuk carpets (shown in the next section). The carpets you see here are mainly based on designs from the Turkish towns of Uşak (oo-shahk) and Bergama (behr-gah-mah; known in ancient times as Pergamon). Today, Bergama carpets—though limited in quantity—are still being woven there, but none are made in modern Uşak. (For more examples of Uşak carpets, see below.) Crafted in a predominantly red color, these carpets have a traditional design and are extremely fine, especially considering the density of their wool. (Pay special attention to the one hanging on the wall across from the entrance.) • Walk into the next section, which is reservedfor...

Selçuk Carpets and Other Objects

Only a handful of 13th-century Selçuk carpets have survived, and more than half are displayed in this room. They were gathered from mosques and shrines in central Turkey, especially from Konya, the capital city of the Selçuk Empire. The rare carpets on display here each show different colors and designs, making each one unique. Their designs are quite stylized, almost to the point of abstraction, as the creators adapted floral and animal motifs into geometric forms. The patterns are often repeated. Designs include stylized eagles, arrowheads, crescents, and eight-pointed stars, as well as Kufic letters (which are also commonly used to decorate borders). These carpets, made of pure wool, are knotted with a double-knot technique, known as the "Turkish knot."
The room also contains Selçuk woodwork and tile art. To the left of the fireplace, notice the nicely detailed, ceremonial wood sarcophagus dating from 1250. (The window and door shutters are more recent, and not Selçuk.) In the case in the center of the room are metal objects, weights, grinders, and 13th-century Selçuk tile pieces. The most impressive fragments—tiled-brick pieces made in the traditional fashion with high quartz content—are in the wall opposite the fireplace. To the right is the wood siding of a mimber (mosque's pulpit), with painted floral designs.
• Exit the doorway to the right, which leads to the last and largest hall of the museum, containing...

Uşak Carpets and Other Objects

These Uşak "palace carpets," from the 16th and 17th centuries, mark the peak of traditional, all-wool carpet weaving in Turkey. In an average Uşak carpet, there are about 103,000 knots in 10 square feet. (Wool carpets don't come any denser.) There are two types: those designed with medallions (the more common type), and those with repetitive star patterns (which are usually smaller).
After admiring the rugs, take a look at the other objects. In the first case (to the right as you enter the hall) are some of the museum's finest examples of Ottoman calligraphy. A long scroll, alongside a document from an estate, has a sketch of the city waterway. In the next case are large objects of art, including candleholders. These were decorative as well as functional, used on either side of the apse in a mosque. There is also a huge rahle (rah-leh), a holder for a large Quran (or other book), sheeted with silver. A rahle supported the fragile binding of the Quran while it was read.
The next case, at the far end of the hall, displays more candlesticks and Quran holders. The one made of wood with amazing details dates back to the 16th century. Another, with mother-of-pearl inlay, was made in the 17th century. To the left, in a smaller case, you see talismanic shirts, worn to protect the wearer from any kind of danger. The larger case (before the exit on the right) displays great examples of calligraphy, book illustrations, and Ottoman miniatures.
• Exit and go down the staircase to the central courtyard. Next to the base of the stairs is the entrance to an additional ethnographical section of the museum, which you may want to explore. This exhibit describes Turkish lifestyles, from life in yurts (nomadic tents) in central Asia to 19th-century city living.
Otherwise, our tour isfinished.