Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts

The building at the edge of the Hippodrome, just opposite of the Sultanahmet Mosque, is the Ibrahim Pasha Palace which was the only palace owned by a dignity outside the dynasty in the Ottoman Period. The building was presented by Sultan Siileyman the Magnificent to his Grand Vizier Ibrahim Pasha in 1520.
Following the death of Pasha, the building which was used as the new recruits barracks, palace of embassy, fiscal office, tailoring workshop and prison, and it remained vacant for quite a long time and fell into ruins. The building was restored in 1970's and in 1983 the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts was

transferred here, from its original location, the Suleymaniye complex. The collection, which includes hand-written books and works made of stone, ceramic, wood and metal, was awarded by the Council of Europe in 1984 and by UNESCO in 1985. The most valuable collection of the museum is handmade Turkish carpets of incredible sizes. The authentic life style and handicrafts of Anatolia are exhibited in this museum with a contemporary museum approach. Drinking a cup of Turkish coffee in a typical Turkish coffee-house, situated in the courtyard of the museum would revive oneself.

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