President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday inaugurated five museums at Istanbul’s Topkapı Palace, opening 10,500 artifacts from the palace’s collection to the public following the restoration of the historic Darphane-i Amire complex.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Erdoğan said the restoration had transformed seven buildings containing 46 halls across 17,000 square meters into five museums. The collection includes more than 2,000 examples of Islamic calligraphy that were previously kept in storage and will be displayed for the first time across 12 halls.
The newly opened museums will expand the range of historical and cultural artifacts accessible to visitors at Topkapı Palace, one of the most prominent landmarks of the Ottoman Empire.
Erdoğan said the complex also houses the first arms museum established during the Ottoman period, adding that the restored site had become a museum district that could serve as an example internationally.
“Every part of this treasure reflects a distinct body of knowledge, a refined intuition and an independent understanding of aesthetics, bringing science and wisdom together in a remarkable synthesis,” Erdoğan said, describing Türkiye’s historical and cultural heritage.
He stressed that preserving cultural assets required more than restoring buildings and displaying historical objects. Their significance, he said, lay in protecting the knowledge and traditions they represent and passing them on to future generations.
“Of course, these works are important and valuable. They are treasures of our cultural heritage. But what matters most is preserving this accumulated legacy with a strong sense of awareness, enriching it further and passing it on fully to the generations that follow us,” he said.
Erdoğan also described Topkapı Palace itself as a masterpiece, arguing that Türkiye possesses an exceptional cultural legacy shaped by centuries of history, architecture, art and literature.
Erdoğan criticizes past cultural policies
The president used the ceremony to criticize previous approaches to Westernization, accusing past administrations of neglecting Türkiye’s historical and cultural identity.
He cited the former use of Yıldız Palace as an entertainment venue and casino, the sale of rare manuscripts to foreign buyers as scrap paper, and the conversion of historic mosques into grain warehouses and, in some cases, stables.
Erdoğan said such practices reflected policies that sought to distance the Turkish people from their historical roots and national and spiritual values.
“We were subjected to a policy of stripping people of their identity, one that sought Westernization only in clothing, denied our history and culture, and alienated people from their national and spiritual values,” he said.
He argued that some people continued to reject the country’s historical inheritance and challenge its cultural identity.
“For 24 years, we have not given representatives of this mentality an opportunity. God willing, we will not give them one in the future either,” Erdoğan said, referring to the period under his political leadership.
He added that the newly opened museums provided a response to critics who had questioned the restoration project.
According to Erdoğan, work on the complex began seven years ago, amid allegations that the site was being prepared for use as a presidential office or residence. He said those claims had proved false and that the restoration had instead created a major cultural destination.
“We are working to protect Istanbul’s cultural heritage, keep it alive and pass it on to future generations,” he said.
More than 10,000 artifacts to go on display
The opening marks a significant expansion of the collection on public display at Topkapı Palace.
Erdoğan said the palace’s inventory had previously included 7,500 exhibited works, with the addition of the 10,500 artifacts at the new museums further strengthening its position among the world’s museums.
The newly accessible collection includes more than 2,000 calligraphy works that had remained in storage. Their display across 12 halls will allow visitors to see pieces that had not previously been presented to the public.
The restored Darphane-i Amire complex, whose name refers to the Ottoman imperial mint, has been reorganized to accommodate the five museums while preserving the historic buildings.
The project forms part of broader efforts to restore Ottoman-era landmarks and make their collections accessible to the public.
Edirne Palace restoration also underway
Erdoğan also highlighted ongoing restoration work at Edirne Palace, another major Ottoman imperial complex, promising to revive the historic site.
He said Ottoman sultans had used the palace alongside Topkapı Palace for approximately 300 years and that the government was working to restore the complex to its former prominence.
Erdoğan said the project was expected to be completed next year, describing Edirne Saray-ı Cedid-i Amire as a landmark that would become one of Türkiye’s most impressive historical monuments.
The restoration of Edirne Palace, he added, would contribute to the country’s efforts to preserve its architectural heritage and strengthen its cultural landscape.