Arts & Culture · 29 of the best in Istanbul
Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts
Carpets in a vizier’s palace
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Dosseman · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts
The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts occupies the palace of İbrahim Pasha, grand vizier to Süleyman the Magnificent, on the side of the Hippodrome. Its collection of carpets is among the finest in the world, alongside Qur’an manuscripts, calligraphy, woodwork and metalwork from the Seljuks to the Ottomans.
Why it's on our list
- Masterpiece carpets
- İbrahim Pasha Palace
- On the Hippodrome
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts 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
- SultanahmetT1200 m3 min walk
- ÇemberlitaşT1400 m5 min walk
- GülhaneT1700 m9 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Çayıroğlu Sokağı350 m4 min walk
- Taxi rank, Ishakpaşa Caddesi600 m7 min walk
Key sights
- Blue Mosque200 mWalk 2 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 4 min
- Basilica Cistern400 mWalk 5 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 4 min
- Hagia Sophia500 mWalk 6 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Grand Bazaar800 mWalk 10 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Topkapı Palace900 mWalk 11 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Spice Bazaar1.2 kmWalk 15 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Süleymaniye Mosque1.4 kmWalk 18 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Galata Bridge1.5 kmWalk 19 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Galata Tower2.2 kmWalk 27 minCycle 9 minCar or taxi 9 min
- İstiklal Avenue3.0 kmWalk 38 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 12 min
Getting around
- Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW)31 kmCar or taxi 95 min
- Istanbul Airport (IST)35 kmCar or taxi 109 min