Photo by Niyazi Uğur Genca

Kariye is located at Edirnekapı section of İstanbul. The dictionary meaning of Kariye (Chora) is “outside of the city”, or “rural” in old Greek. The existence of a chapel outside the city walls is mentioned in some very old sorces. The first Khora Church was built on the site of this chapel by Justinianus. The building which managed to survive until the times of the Commenos with various additions and repairs, gained importance when the Imperial Palace Blakhernia near the city walls was expanded.

At the end of the 11th century Maria Dukaina, the mother-in-law of Emperor Alexi I had it rebuild.

The church has a kiborion shaped space whose dome is carried by four arches. During the Latin occupation of 1204 – 1261, both the monastery and the church became extremely ran down. During the reign of Andronikos (1282 – 1326), one of the prominent names of the day, the writer, poet and the minister of treasury Theodore Methocite had the monastery and the church repaired towards 1313, and had an annex to the north of the building, an outer narthex to the west and a chapel (Parekklesion) to the south repaired as well.

These new additions were decorated with frescoes and mosaics. Parekklesion, which is a long single naved chapel going along the southern façade, is built above a basement floor. It is partially covered with a dome and the remaining sections are covered by vaults. It has a single abscissa. The outer narthex which runs along the full western facade forms the present façade. The northern wing is only an insignificant corridor. The central dome has a high drum. It is a Turkish period restoration and is made of wood. Outer façades are given plasticity and movement with round arches, half braces, niches and rows of stone and brick. The eastern façade is finished with abscissa extending to the exterior. The middle abscissa is supported with a half arched brace.

Photo by Niyazi Uğur Genca

The church was probably built in the early 12th century, of which only the nave and central apse remain. Theodore Metochites rebuilt it between 1316 and 1321, the same years from which the mosaics and frescoes date, which depict the life of Christ in picture-book fashion. There is a series of mosaics in the form of devotional panels in the narthexes, the theme of which is reflected in the frescoes in the nave and funerary chapel.

The most beautiful mosaic on the inside is Deisis. There is Jesus in the centre with Mary on the left, below Mary, Isaac Commenus and a nun on the right of Jesus. This woman is the daughter of the Mikhael Palaiologos VIII. She was married to the Mongolian Prince Abaka Khan and following her husband’s death returned to İstanbul and became a member of a religious order. In this section, under the dome there is Jesus and his ancestors are shown in the segments. On the portal of the church proper, there is Christ in the middle and on the left Theodoros Metochites who has restored the church and adorned it with the mosaics presenting a model of the church.

Google Map : Caria ( Kariye) Museum

The ground floor of the museum is used for administrative affairs. On the above floor, there is a room dedicated to the poet, Nigar Hanim, where her personal belongings, such as photos and paintings are on exhibit. There is a room called the “Edebiyat-ı Cedide Room,” in which the personal belongings and documents that belonged to the authors of Edebiyat-ı Cedide. It is also the  Hall of Abdülhak Hamit, and his belongings and documents are displayed there. Abdülhak Hamit is also famous for his poem, Makber, meaning The Grave. As for the next floor, there is a bedroom in which his personal belongings and the bed on which he passed away are found. Next to his seat and worktable, there is a work hall, in which he wrote poems and other writings and in which are found his personal affairs and paintings.

In 1961, the Museum (Edebiyat-ı Cedide Museum) was renamed as the Aşiyan Museum and is one of the museums operated by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. It is also one an important place to be visited for lovers of literature.

Since 1988 it has remained opened within the Fine Arts Hall of theYıldız Palace under the name “Şehir Museum.” It makes available a collection including calligraphy panels, fabric, different glass works, utensils, coffee sets, seals, binding forms, scales, balances and weights, and ceramic pieces to its visitors pieces.         

There are several artists whose works are now displayed, such as those by Henri Malla, Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu, Sami Boyar, İbrahim Çallı, Ferruh Başağa, and Zeki Kocamemi. In the calligraphy collection of the Museum, there are calligraphy works belonging to Sultan Abdülmecid, Mehmed Raşid, Mustafa İzzet, Mahmud Celaleddin, Hamit Aytaç, and İsmail Hakkı Altunbezer.

On exhibit in the museum are the Tanzimat Firman (1839), one of the most significant documents in paving the way to the westernization of the Ottoman Empire, signed pictures of leading statesmen of the day, and engravings and paintings. Moreover, personal objects which belonged to Mustafa Reşid Paşa, Sadık Muhtar Bey, and Ziya Paşa, all leading statesmen during the Tanzimat reform movement, are on display in the museum.

Emperor Iustanianus (527 – 565) wanted to construct something even bigger than the original two and appointed architects Isidoros from Miletos, and Anthemios from Tralles to build the Aya Sofya which still stands. Columns, heads, marble and coloured stones were imported to İstanbul from ancient cities in Anatolia for the purpose.

Photo by Niyazi Uğur Genca

It used to be a church for 916 years, then a mosque for 481 years, and since 1935 has been a museum. Thought to have been constructed by Emperor Konstantinos I (324 – 337) it was burned down during a revolt. Rebuilt by Emperor Theodosium II, it was opened for worship in 415 and once again was burned to the ground, during the Nika revolts of 532.
Emperor Iustanianus (527 – 565) wanted to construct something even bigger than the original two and appointed architects Isidoros from Miletos, and Anthemios from Tralles to build the Aya Sofya which still stands. Columns, heads, marble and coloured stones were imported to İstanbul from ancient cities in Anatolia for the purpose.

The construction began on 23 December 532, and was completed exactly five years later. The main, central section measured 100m x 70m, covered with a 55m high dome which was a mammoth 30m in diameter – appearing to be a great feat of design. The mosaics are of great importance, and the oldest ones are dominated by geometric and plant motifs decorated with gold.

Photo by Niyazi Uğur Genca

The worst desecration of the church was in 1204, ransacked by Catholic soldiers during the Fourth Crusade. In 1453, after a failure of the Byzantine Church to fend off the Turks, Mehmet the Conqueror captured the city, rode into Aya Sofya and immediately turned it into a mosque. It was repaired several times, and İslamic ornamentation added, for example an extract of the Koran by calligrapher İzzet Efendi inscribed on the dome. The other reminders of its previous status as a mosque include huge wooden plaques bearing the names of Allah, the Prophet Mohammed and the first four caliphs.

The marble and mosaics remain the most interesting aspects today. The columns supporting the gallery are made from antique marble, and in the western gallery is the green marble which marks the position of the throne of the Empress. The impressive figurative mosaics include Virgin and Child flanked by two emperors, dating back to the late 10th century, and one depicting Christ, the Virgin, and St John the Baptists. Even though there is partial damage, the haunting images on their faces remain as strong as ever.

The museum embraces a global vision to collect, preserve, exhibit and document works of modern and contemporary art and make them accessible to art lovers.

İstanbul Modern the first private museum to organize modern and contemporary art exhibitions in Turkey, was founded in 2004 and occupies an 8,000 square meter site on the shores of the Bosphorus.
With its permanent and temporary exhibition galleries, photography gallery, library, cinema center, cafe, design store, and its video, educational and social programs, the museum offers a wide array of services in a multifaceted venue.

The museum’s collections, exhibitions and educational programs aim to foster appreciation for and stimulate active engagement in the arts among visitors of all ages and from every segment of society.

MUSEUM HOURS
Tuesday – Sunday: 10.00 a.m – 6.00 pm
Thursday: 10.00 p.m – 8.00 p.m
Monday: Closed
The museum is closed on January 1 and on the first day of religious holidays.

All museum facilities are wheelchair accessible. Smoking, photography, food and drink are not allowed in the galleries.

ADMISSION
Adults: 7 TL
Students, groups of over 20 and seniors (65 and older): 3 TL
Museum members, children under 12, visitors with disabilities: Free
Every Thursday: Free

FILM SCREENINGS
Film screenings at the İstanbul Modern Cinema are free with museum admission.

PARKING FEES
0-2 Hours: 5 TL
For every additional hour: 1 TL
All day: 10 TL

More about istanbul modern http://www.istanbulmodern.org/en/f_index.html

After returning from the Syrian front, Mustafa Kemal rented the house where he lived with his mother,-Zubeyde Hanım-and sister – Makbule – His mother and sister lived upper storey, he himself lived in the middle floor of  the house and his aide-de-camp lived in the lower storey. The house was built in 1908 and  witnessed many meetings that were realized by Mustafa Kemal  and his friends during the invasion of Istanbul after World War I.

The house, where Mustafa Kemal lived up until May 16th, 1919 before he went to Samsun was bought by Tahsin Uzer in 1924, a former Governer of Erzurum, and placed a wall sign at the entrance door of the house explaining where Mustafa Kemal once lived.

This historical house, which has Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s many unforgettable memories was bought from Tahsin Uzer in 1928 by Istanbul Municipality, then converted into a house where some of his clothes, personal belongings, the documents that have moral value bear his signature and paintings of notable people of that period are on display in this house. The house was converted to museum called Atatürk Revolution Museum and opened to visitors on June 15th, 1942 in the period of Lütfi Kırdar Kırdar, who was mayor and later governor of Istanbul. It was repaired after the insurrection of 1960 by the initiation of Istanbul Mayor Refik Tulga. However, a fire took place in the building in 1962 and the museum was partly damaged.

A large-scale restoration on the historic building was completed on the 100th birthday of Atatürk. After the restoration works, which were completed in accordance with architectural design of 1910, the museum was named “Atatürk Museum” and was opened to visitors again on May 19th, 1981. The museum-house of Atatürk was renovated once again in 1989 and since 1991 in which it was opened to the public and it continues to entertain  its domestic and foreign visitors.

This church has been converted into a mosque by Murat III (1574 – 1595) and the mosque has been named as Fethiye.

The northern church is still being used as a mosque. The walls of the additional church are ornamented with the beautiful mosaics of 14th century. After being repaired between the years 1938 – 1940, it has been converted into a unit of Ayasofya Museum.

Photo by Niyazi Uğur Genca

The location is unrivalled – romantic, historic, convenient to both the Old City and the new. And the appeal is universal: objects that affect our daily lives, created by talented engineers and craftsmen, encapsulating man’s ingenuity and hard work yet at the same time exhibiting great beauty.

Our museum educates, informs, and entertains tens of thousands of adults and children each year. Please do explore our website now for a taste of what we have on show… but better still, come and visit us soon!
The Museum is very easy to find, located as it is on the shore of the Golden Horn and close to the main motorways that run through and around Istanbul. Just a few minutes from the Old City, it can easily be incorporated into a day’s sightseeing programme.

Parking is ample and free of charge, and there are also a number of convenient bus routes nearby.

Address: Rahmi M Koç Museum
Hasköy Cad. No: 5
Hasköy 34445 – Istanbul
Tel: (0)212 369 66 00-01-02
Fax: (0)212 369 66 06
Web: http://www.rmk-museum.org.tr

The newer books acquired via purchase or donations were gathered in the New Manuscripts Section. The books in the Sultan Ahmed III Library were moved to the new library in 1966. Among approximately 13,450 manuscripts in the library, there are works and miniature books gathered under non-Islamic Manuscripts Section in Greek, Latin, Armenian, Serbian, Hebrew and Syriac languages, besides Turkish, Persian, and Arabic works.

There are also sample calligraphy works of Ottoman calligraphers, tools related to this art such as reed pen, kalemdar, pen drawer, scissors, pen knife (sharpener), and wooden cases for Qur’an, lecterns, seals and maps. Photocopy services for the printed materials and microfilm, photograph and media services are provided.

Year of Establishment: 1928
Topkapi Palace, Sultanahment
Tel: +90-212-512 04 80
Fax: +90-212-522 44 22
Open days/hours: 09:00 – 17:00hrs (except for Saturdays & Sundays)