Housed in an 18th-century imaret (soup kitchen) built behind the Aya Sofya complex, this recently opened museum is entered through a spectacular baroque gate and gives the visitor an excellent overview of the history of Anatolian carpet making. The carpets, which have been sourced from mosques throughout the country, date from the 14th to 20th centuries.
There are three galleries, each entered through Tardis-like humidity-controlled entrances. The first, in the me'kel (dining hall) features early Anatolian-era carpets with geometric and abstract designs; these are sometimes called Holbein carpets in honour of Dutch artist Hans Holbein the Younger, who often depicted them in his paintings. Also here are examples of the best-known type of Turkish carpets: Uşak (Ushak) carpets of the 16th and 17th centuries.
The second, in the aşhane (kitchen), displays rugs with Central and Eastern Anatolian motifs including star-shaped medallions and keyholes; the latter is said to have been inspired by the mosque mihrab. Don't miss the particularly fine 19th-century Hereke rug that came from the Mustafa Mosque in Sirkeci.
The third, in the fodlahane (bakery), is the most impressive, with a huge 17th-century Uşak carpet from the Süleymaniye Mosque and another 19th-century example from the Blue Mosque.
The museum was free at the time of research, but an entry fee may apply in the future.
