The Istanbul Archaeological Museums stand beside Topkapi Palace and hold more than a million objects, which makes them one of the largest collections of their kind anywhere. The main building opened in 1891 and was the first purpose-built museum in the Ottoman Empire.
The Alexander Sarcophagus is the piece people come for: fourth century BC, carved in Sidon, with battle scenes so finely cut that traces of the original paint survive. Nearby are the Sarcophagus of the Mourning Women and the Kadesh Treaty tablet, the oldest known written peace agreement.
Three buildings share the site, including the Tiled Kiosk of 1472. Closed Mondays.
From Hotel Sultania it is a walk of about ten minutes, entered from the Gulhane side.
Category:
History