How to read this monument?
Iznik Museum is the strongest starting point to establish the timeline of the city before seeing the monuments one by one. The prehistoric finds of Ilıpınar, the Roman Theater excavations and the production pieces from the tile kilns come together in the same narrative. Separate from the Turkish-Islamic Arts Museum in the Nilüfer Hatun Imaret, this contemporary building focuses specifically on the archaeological collection.
Don't miss
See that the settlement in the Iznik basin dates back much further than the history of the city with the Ilıpınar finds.
Compare artifacts from Roman Theater excavations before or after visiting the theatre.
Look for production errors, firing feet and traces of workshop practice in tile kiln finds.
Read the sarcophagi, stele and architectural pieces in the garden through the material language of different periods.
historical background
Iznik Museum tells the archaeological story of the city in a contemporary exhibition setting. The collection extends from the finds of prehistoric settlements such as Ilıpınar to the Roman and Byzantine periods, and then to the Ottoman production culture.
The artifacts unearthed from the excavations of the Roman Theater and Iznik Tile Kilns complement the daily life, production and burial traditions that cannot be seen when visiting the monuments. The stone works in the museum garden also bring together architectural pieces from different periods of the city.
This building is a separate museum from the Nilüfer Hatun Imaret Turkish Islamic Arts Museum. When visited before starting the archaeological city tour, it makes it easier to establish the chronology of the structures to be seen within the city walls.
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