There is a museum in Topkapı, located on the site of the old bus terminal. And in this museum, the experiences of the conquest become alive again in 3D.

Panorama 1453 Historical Museum presents you an ambiance where you can live the events told or written about the conquest of Constantinople in 3D. You begin to wonder what you will encounter from the entrance alone. While you are getting down the spiral stair, you are getting ready for the path to the conquest of Istanbul. You take a step and see Byzantine era Istanbul drawings decorating the walls and texts telling about Istanbul of that era. As you descend one story below, the details of the conquest greet you. While you are advancing towards the conquest of Istanbul and the brink of a new era, the dustiness of the texts pales; you wish to live the conquest in 3D immediately. Now, you are ready to live the day, 29 May 1453. While you are ascending the stairs, first the blue sky greets you. At that very moment you have your first glance of that important day. Then you step on the platform, the most important place in the museum. And once there, you are inside the conquest of Istanbul.Welcome to 29 May 1453…

Panorama-1453-Historical-Museum

At first, you cannot decide where to look. It takes a few minutes to orientate yourself. Then you will find a corner and you begin to observe little by little, that day both exciting and dreadful. The more you are absorbed in the depth of the 3D details, the more astonished you get. You feel yourself lost in time. You are surrounded with Ottoman and Byzantine soldiers. From one side the fury of the cannons arises, from the other side, the cavalry draw at a gallop; the clashes of the swords making your hair stand up; to say nothing of the janissary march increasing in volume gradually… You are in the middle of a grim battle. You know who wins, but the 3D thrills you. As you advance toward the stairs directing you to the exit, you cannot help but look back several times. You have the feeling that the soldiers will follow you; the sky will always be the same. As every step you take brings you to the present of Istanbul, you wonder who brought this history into reality. It is as though they are conquering Constantinople once more.

At the centre of Topkapı, there was once a complicated bus terminal complex well known by Istanbulites, but now there stands a green park. Topkapı City Park does not only welcome children and people who wish to have a break: also it hosts the Panorama Museum. The museum covers a 3,000 square meter area of the park. The originator Haşim Vatandaş, an artist and a cartoon director, is the coordinator of the project. In this project, started in 2005, eight artists reshaped history. In three years, one of the most important events in history has been reanimated. In this unique panorama, it is possible to see approximately 10,000 figures.The most astonishing fact about this museum is that it is the only museum in the world to have a 360 degrees panoramic view. The observers, in order to fully comprehend the 3D effect, view the pictures from platform at 14 meters distance from the art. In order to create a realistic feeling of the conquest – 555 years before to the present time – imitations of cannons, gun carriages and powder kegs have been placed before the panorama. Sound effects amplify the sense of reality. Panorama 1453 Museum welcomes its guests every day between 09:00 am – 05:00 pm. The entrance fee is 10try. Please visit this museum, and witness the conquest history of Istanbul. You will establish a bond with the past.

Address: Topkapı Kültür – Merkez Efendi Mah. Topkapı – Istanbul

Telephone: +90-212 415 14 53