1. Topkapi Palace: a must-visit
For almost 400 years, the huge palace complex was the main residence of the Turkish sultans, and today you can see how the rulers of the Ottoman Empire lived here. The palace is interesting not only for its architecture and interiors, but also for its unique collections of medieval clothes, dishes, weapons and jewelry. Visitors can stroll through the magnificent garden with fountains, visit the sultan’s chambers, the treasury, the Byzantine temple, the council building where the viziers met, and the harem where hundreds of concubines lived.
The marble terrace of the palace offers magnificent views of the sea panorama of Istanbul.
2. The Museum of Innocence: an unusual view of the city
One of the most intimate museums in Istanbul, according to its creator, represents not the state, but a person. It contains items that the famous Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk bought from collectors, flea markets and second-hand bookstores: tableware, watches, jewelry, keys, newspapers and other household items. On the one hand, they tell about the life of Istanbul in the second half of the 20th century, on the other, they materialize the story of the characters of Pamuk’s nostalgic novel, which is called “The Museum of Innocence”.
The unusual exposition and the book can be perceived separately, but in the last chapter of the novel there is a ticket to the museum.
3. Istanbul Toy Museum: not only for children
The exhibits for this amazing museum (official website) were collected by its founders all over the world: in an old mansion located in the Asian part of the city, dolls, soldiers and cars from 40 countries created over the past 200 years are exhibited. Even the events of world history are told here in the language of toys — for example, the section with trains, lunar rovers and figures of astronauts is dedicated to the industrial revolution. There are 4,000 items in the collection: stuffed toys, dollhouses, Disney characters, statuettes of American presidents and a figurine of the Turkish Sultan. The whole family should definitely visit here: kids will be interested in exciting master classes, and adults will be able to return to childhood for a while.
4. Rahmi Kocha Polytechnic Museum: to stretch your brain
This interactive museum will appeal to those who are interested in the device of familiar things — from the phone to the car. In the former foundry there are all kinds of devices, means of communication and different types of transport. Everyone can visit a real submarine, sit in the cabin of a retro car and take a ride on an old train.
In the physics hall, they offer to participate in scientific experiments, and on excursions they demonstrate the principles of operation of household appliances and complex devices.
5. Miniatürk: embrace the immensity
Didn’t have time to see all the sights of Istanbul? It doesn’t matter! In the open-air museum “Miniaturik” in a few hours you can immediately see more than 100 architectural monuments from all over Turkey, reduced by 25 times. The spacious park on the shore of the Golden Horn contains models of famous mosques and palaces, Byzantine churches, ancient fortresses and ancient structures. Even natural objects have been recreated in miniature — for example, Pamukkale and Cappadocia.