Exhibition on Istanbul history charts area’s trajectory
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To celebrate Istanbul’s title of 2010 European Capital of Culture, Sabancı University Sakıp Sabancı Museum, or SSM, is hosting a new exhibition, “Legendary Istanbul: From Byzantium to Istanbul: 8,000 Years of a Capital.”
The exhibition, which began Saturday and will remain open until Sept. 4, presents the peerless history of Istanbul from its founding until today with more than 500 works, some of which are discoveries from the Yenikapı excavation conducted as part of the Marmaray Project.
The exhibition sheds light on the glorious history of a city that served as the capital city for the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires and charts the area’s trajectory from Byzantium to New Rome, to Constantinople and to Istanbul.
The exhibition also brings together treasures scattered among various countries through trade, gifts and historic events, such as the looting of the fourth Crusade.
At the opening ceremony, exhibition curator and SSM Director Nazan Ölçer said it was one of the largest exhibitions covering Istanbul ever organized in Turkey. “Turkey’s first large exhibition was organized in 1983 under the title ‘Anatolian Civilizations’ and it featured works brought from abroad,” she said.
“From Byzantium to Istanbul: 8,000 Years of a Capital” displays 503 selected works from leading institutions in England, Germany, France, Italy, the Vatican, Hungary, Greece, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Qatar, Portugal and Russia. It also includes works selected from state museums, private museums and collections in Turkey and, for the first time, brings together a range of different pieces chosen from a total of 58 museums, 39 of which are located abroad.
Istanbul’s transformation
The display tells the story of Istanbul’s transformation from a Roman garrison to the capital of the empire after the separation of Rome into eastern and western portions, the stages of growth, stagnation and collapse experienced during the Byzantine Empire, as well as its rebirth after being conquered by the Ottomans in 1453.
The event further presents the times of upheaval and the golden eras in the history of the city which is woven into the tapestry of European history.
The rich tradition created by the diverse religious heritage of the city is also presented. The comprehensive exhibition catalogue, which includes articles from 20 foreign and Turkish academics as well as colorful visuals, serves as a reference for everyone interested in Istanbul as it touches on the socio-political, cultural and historical aspects of the city during different periods.
“As part of the Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture event calendar, we thought it would be appropriate to remind the 15 million inhabitants of Istanbul and the entire world of Istanbul's 8,000-year-old history and its cosmopolitan identity born of a blend of different cultures with this comprehensive exhibition. I believe that everyone who visits our exhibition will find their desire to discover Istanbul rekindled,” Ölçer said.
She said they were displaying works from museums in Istanbul, including the Fener Greek Patriarchate’s library and the monastery in Heybeliada and added that an exhibition they organized in Paris was an aspect of the current project to promote Istanbul abroad.
Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture agency President Şekip Avdagiç said, “I argue that this is the most comprehensive and successful exhibition ever held in this region.”
Another curator of the exhibition, Boric Micka, said they had succeeded in creating an unforgettable exhibition and that museum directors from all around the country wanted to see it. “This exhibition shows that Istanbul is the capital of Europe and will remain so in the future.”