Great Palace Mosaic Museum History, Exhibits, Entrance Fee, and Visiting Hours

The Great Palace Mosaic Museum, located in Istanbul, Turkey, is a remarkable exhibition of mosaics that were unearthed during excavations starting in 1935 in the northeastern part of the porticoed courtyard of the Eastern Roman Great Palace. These mosaics, dating back to the period between 450-550 AD, are celebrated for their artistic quality and the richness of the scenes depicted. Unlike many contemporary works, these mosaics do not carry religious themes but instead vividly portray scenes from everyday life, nature, and mythology. The vibrancy and detail in these mosaics are likely due to the craftsmanship of leading artists of the time.

The museum is situated within the complex of the Sultanahmet Mosque, in the Arasta Bazaar. It was specifically designed to encompass the partially preserved mosaic floor of the Great Palace’s northeastern porticoed courtyard. However, only a 180-square-meter portion of the mosaic area has survived to the present day.

The Great Palace Mosaic Museum became a part of the Istanbul Archaeology Museums in 1953 and was later affiliated with the Ayasofya Museum Directorate from 1979. A significant restoration and conservation project, initiated in 1982 through a protocol between the Turkish Directorate General of Monuments and Museums and the Austrian Academy of Sciences, was completed in 1997.

Among the museum’s most notable mosaics are depictions of a griffin eating a lizard, a battle between an elephant and a lion, a mare nursing her foal, children herding geese, a man milking a goat, a child feeding a donkey, a young girl carrying a jug, bears eating apples, and a tiger hunting scene. The mosaics are composed of limestone, terracotta, and colored stones, averaging 5mm in size. The “fish scale” technique is used in the white marble background, while “Opus Vermiculatum” style images are interspersed between the marble pieces. The scenes are also outlined with contours for definition. In total, the mosaics feature over 150 human and animal figures across 90 different themes.

Currently, the museum is closed. For more information, you can contact them at 02125181205 or visit the museum at Sultanahmet Mahallesi, Kabasakal Cad. Arasta Çarşısı Sok. No:53, Fatih, Istanbul.