The Museum of Islamic Civilizations, which opened in the Çalımca Grand Mosque complex in Istanbul, is of great interest to visitors with its exceptional works of art that shed light on the development of the Islamic art.
‘These artifacts, which have been in various national palaces and museums, did not use to have any opportunity to be presented to visitors,’ Yasin Yıldız, President of the National Palaces, said at the presentation of the museum.
The museum houses almost 700 exhibits reflecting the historical development of Islamic art since the VII century. It is known that the gem of the exhibition is the exquisite collection of works selected from the Topkapı Palace Museum, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art, the Istanbul Archaeological Museum, the Istanbul Tomb Museum and the National Palaces Foundation Museum.
Visitors now have the opportunity to see such artifacts as a representative trace of Prophet Muhammad, the curtain from the Kaaba door, mascot shirts, Sultan’s caftans, Fatih Sultan Mehmed’s childhood notebook, Ottoman period coins and dervish rosaries. The sword of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent brought from the Topkapı Palace is one of the most important exhibits at the museum.
Photo from the site: moystambul.ru
The Çalımca Mosque complex, where the Museum of Islamic Civilizations is located, was opened to the public on 9 April, 2019, with the assistance of President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. It is situated on the enclosed area of 10 000 square meters.
Since its opening three years ago, the complex has welcomed 25 million worshippers and visitors. Apart from the fact that this is a grand place of worship, the mosque is the most modern complex in Turkey with an art gallery, library, conference hall, art workshop and, naturally, the Museum of Islamic Civilizations.
The huge mosque on Istanbul’s famous Çalımca hill is a combination of Ottoman and Seljuk architecture and is located on the Asian side of the city. It has become one of the symbols of the city.
The mosque’s four minarets are 107,1 meters high. They symbolize the victory of the Seljuk Turks at Malazgirt (Manzikert) over the Byzantine army in 1071. The event opened Anatolia to Turkish settlement.
The central dome is 72 meters high and symbolizes 72 nations living in the city of Istanbul. The second dome has a diameter of 34 meters, 34 being Istanbul’s official code.
The main gate of the complex weighs 6 tones, is 6,5 meters high and 5 meters wide. It is one of the largest in the world.
The Çalımca Mosque has eight art workshops, a 3 500 square meters’ art gallery, a 3 000 square meters’ library housing more than 50 000 books, a conference hall with 1 071 seats and a covered parking zone for 3 500 vehicles.
The Çalımca Mosque is on the list of top places to visit in Istanbul.
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Photo: nowturkey.ru