Topkapı Palace
The sultans’ palace on Sarayburnu: courtyards, the Imperial Council, the treasury and the terraces over the water. Dated entry, sold online on its own site.
Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum
A vast column-free hall in Şanlıurfa displaying Roman-era mosaics where they were found, including the Amazons Villa and the Orpheus mosaic.
About the museum
The Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum covers 6,000 square metres and spans 82 metres without a single supporting column, which makes it one of the largest column-free buildings in Turkey. Its mosaics are displayed in situ, exactly where the excavations at Haleplibahçe uncovered them.
The centrepiece is the Amazons Villa, named for the Amazon figures found in the dig. Rooms are arranged around a large rectangular hall between two symmetrical courtyards, and the room facing the entrance has a floor mosaic of hunting Amazons. Other rooms nearby show lion and tiger scenes and further mosaics.
The Orpheus mosaic, which had been smuggled abroad and later returned to Şanlıurfa, shows the musician seated and playing the lyre, listened to by wild animals and birds. Dated to AD 194 and bearing the name of the artist Bar Saged, it is the earliest dated mosaic of ancient Edessa, today's Urfa.
Tips
- An audio guide is available, and the museum can be visited in the evening; check current arrangements.
- The Şanlıurfa Museum is in the same garden, so plan both in one visit.
Questions
When is Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum open?
According to the Ministry’s listing it opens at 08:30 and closes at 18:45. Open every day.
Can I buy tickets for Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum on this site?
No. This site sells no tickets. Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, Hagia Sophia and Dolmabahçe Palace are sold on our sister sites; for Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum, buy at the ticket office or on the Ministry’s official e-ticket system.
Where is Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum?
Haleplibahçe Mosaic Museum is in Şanlıurfa, Türkiye — Haleplibahçe 2372 Sokak 63200 Merkez Eyyübiye/Şanlıurfa.
Nearby
Şanlıurfa
Göbeklitepe Archaeological Site
A UNESCO-listed hilltop sanctuary some 12,000 years old, widely regarded as the oldest known monumental temple complex, near Şanlıurfa.
Şanlıurfa
Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum
A large modern museum holding the Balıklıgöl Man, the oldest known life-size statue, and finds from Göbeklitepe and the Harran plain.
Şanlıurfa
Harran Archaeological Site
The ancient city of Harran, south of Şanlıurfa, at a crossroads on the plain and linked by tradition to the prophet Abraham.
Şanlıurfa
Şanlıurfa Castle
The hilltop castle above Şanlıurfa, thought to be around 4,000 years old, with a legend of two columns linked to the story of Abraham; currently closed to visits.
Şanlıurfa
Karahantepe Archaeological Site
A Neolithic hilltop site in the Tek Tek Mountains near Şanlıurfa, known for T-shaped stone pillars and round buildings, contemporary with Göbeklitepe. Listed as closed.
Istanbul tickets online
Four Istanbul landmarks, each sold on its own site by the agency behind this guide — dated entry and free cancellation up to 24 hours.
Basilica Cistern
Justinian’s great underground reservoir: 336 columns in still water and the two Medusa heads. Fast-track entry with a digital audio guide.
Hagia Sophia
Justinian’s cathedral, the sultans’ mosque and a working mosque again today. The ticket admits you to the upper visitor gallery.
Dolmabahçe Palace
A nineteenth-century palace on the water’s edge: the Selamlık, the Ceremonial Hall under its chandelier, the crystal staircase and the Harem.