NewsChora Museum
Has Turkey halted plans to turn Chora museum into a mosque?
Experts ponder the significance of the sudden scrapping of Islamic prayers by Turkish authorities at Istanbul’s historic landmark
NewsConservation & Preservation
New hope that Istanbul orphanage—Europe's largest timber building—can be saved from ruin
After decades of neglect, a fundraising drive could restore Prinkipo Orphanage as an environmental research centre
NewsConservation & Preservation
Turkish government on collision course with Unesco over turning Hagia Sophia into mosque
President Erdogan’s plans to convert the museum have drawn fire from Greece and the US
Newscoronavirus
Turkish government slammed for crowds at heritage sites as ticket collector reportedly dies from coronavirus
Worker at Istanbul's Dolmabahce Palace is believed to have contracted Covid-19, leading state to be criticised for not closing tourist attractions quick enough
NewsTurkey
Court ruling converting Turkish museum to mosque could set precedent for Hagia Sophia
Decision that Kariye Museum must become a Muslim house of worship again could imperil its Byzantine art and have repercussions for other early Christian monuments
NewsClimate Change
Art world impact just 'a drop in the ocean': Istanbul biennial curator takes on climate crisis
Nicolas Bourriaud examines the Anthropocene in 16th edition of the exhibition and says the “real issue is mass tourism"
NewsIstanbul Biennial
Monster Chetwynd’s monstrous children’s playground to open in Istanbul
Sculptural project, part of the 16th biennial, looks to the mythical creature Medusa
NewsTurkey
'Game-changer' museum to open in Istanbul in time for city's biennial
Turkish non-profit contemporary art space Arter is relocating to a state-of-the-art exhibition space in Dolapdere district
NewsMonuments
Erdogan says museum and former cathedral Hagia Sophia will become a mosque again
The Turkish president wants the monument to serve as a place of worship flouting international pressure to retain the site’s current neutral status
ArchivePublications
Ottoman perspectives
This original and brilliant book describes how Western archaeology and archaeologists appeared to Turkish eyes.
ArchiveIstanbul Biennial
The Istanbul Biennial looks east (Eastern Europe, that is)
The Turkish capital has curators, collectors and galleries—if the government pitches in, it could become the leading destination for contemporary art in the Middle and Near East
ArchiveSalvador Dalí
First Dalí exhibition in Turkey
The Sakip Sabanci Museum in Istanbul is holding the first ever retrospective devoted to the surrealist artist Salvador Dalí in a Muslim country
ArchiveAntiquities & Archaeology
Excavations explore how far beyond the ramparts the Trojan War was fought
Excavations suggest that the ten-year war was fought some distance away from Priam's rock
CommentCultural heritage
Why we should be concerned about President Erdogan turning museums into mosques
Hagia Sophia and the Chora Church will remain “open to all”, Turkish government promises—but restricted access may not be the primary worry
Holger A. Klein