Arts & Culture · 29 of the best in Istanbul
Great Palace Mosaic Museum
Mosaics from the emperors’ palace
About Great Palace Mosaic Museum
Behind the Blue Mosque, beside the Arasta Bazaar, this small museum protects floor mosaics from a peristyle courtyard of the Great Palace of Constantinople: hunting scenes, animals, children at play and mythical creatures, full of life after some fifteen centuries.
Why it's on our list
- Byzantine floor mosaics
- Behind the Blue Mosque
- By the Arasta Bazaar
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Great Palace Mosaic Museum before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from Great Palace Mosaic Museum are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest metro & tram stops
- SultanahmetT1450 m6 min walk
- ÇemberlitaşT1700 m9 min walk
- GülhaneT1900 m11 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Çayıroğlu Sokağı300 m4 min walk
- Taxi rank, Ishakpaşa Caddesi450 m6 min walk
Key sights
- Blue Mosque150 mWalk 2 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 3 min
- Basilica Cistern450 mWalk 6 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 4 min
- Hagia Sophia550 mWalk 7 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Topkapı Palace900 mWalk 12 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Grand Bazaar1.1 kmWalk 14 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Spice Bazaar1.5 kmWalk 18 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Süleymaniye Mosque1.7 kmWalk 22 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Galata Bridge1.8 kmWalk 22 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Galata Tower2.4 kmWalk 30 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 10 min
- İstiklal Avenue3.3 kmWalk 41 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 13 min
Getting around
- Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW)30 kmCar or taxi 94 min
- Istanbul Airport (IST)36 kmCar or taxi 110 min