The archaeological museum below the Topkapı Palace was built mainly to fund an outstanding piece to be able to adequately exhibit: the Alexander sarcophagus, the Turkish archaeologists in Sidon in Lebanon took place today. In the sarcophagus was not Alexander the Great, but a Lebanese king buried, but Alexander is here in a very old, received a unique form. The world famous sarcophagus from the year 310 BC, is totally unspoiled and shows the wonderful marble reliefs the emperor with a lion and panther hunting.

Except this showpiece are other sarcophagi from Sidon and in several halls sculptures from Greek, Roman and Byzantine period. In a side wing one can find pieces from the early history of Istanbul chart.
Built in 2000, renovated Museum of Ancient Art (Eski Sark Eserleri Müzesi) in a separate building on the same site is very beautiful and well designed and assembled worth seeing exhibits from ancient Mesopotamia, mainly from the Assyrian and Babylonian times. The special attraction is the in authored Hittite cuneiform, 1259 BC between the Hittite king large Hattusili II and the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II peace treaty of Kadesh – the oldest traditional document of this kind ever.
A third, small building on the museum grounds was restored and reopened in spring 2005. It is the Çinili Köşk (faience museum) with valuable exhibits from several eras. The art of colored glaze protected by tiles to produce in the Ottoman Empire was highly developed. Since Islam portrait painting out of fear of new “idols” forbade, was much artistic energy on ornamental art is used. A popular motif was the tulip, color dominates the azure, whose formula champion dominated just a few. The 1472 castle itself was built by Mehmet II. The Çinili Köşk is the oldest building of the Topkapi Palace. Tuesday-Sunday from 9-17 clock open, admission costs about 8 euros.