The Carpet Section in Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, Istanbul Jozan Magazine 28 July 2005

13th century Seljuk carpet found in the Sultan Aleaddin Keykubat Mosque in Konya

One of the places a rug collector must visit in Istanbul is the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum. The museum is situated on the Hippodrome just beside the Blue Mosque in Sultanahmet in the old part of Istanbul. The museum include important ancient rugs and carpets from the 13th century Seljuk period and other important Anatolian rugs. Among the carpets are several very large Ushak medallion carpets from the 16th and 17th century. The museum also includes interesting Holbein Bergama rugs, Giordes-, Ladik- and Konya Karapinar prayer rugs. The 13th century Seljuk carpets have been discovered in the early 20th century in the Alaeddin Mosque in Konya. Besides the carpet section the museum include several other sections. A calligraphy section, wooden works, stone art, ceramic and glass, metal art and a ethnography section.

The Ushak medallion carpets are exhibited in the large exhibition hall among other large and very old Anatolian carpets. The room light in this impressive museum is very pleasant and the conditions for both visitors and the exhibited carpets are excellent.

Ushak medallion carpet 16th century found in the tomb of Piyalepasa Kasimpasa, Istanbul

Carpet from the 13th century Seljuk period found in the Sultan Aleaddin Keykubad Mosque in Konya

Konya Karapinar from the 17th century. Found in the tomb of Sultan Aleaddin Keykubad in Konya

See more photos from the museum