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Topkapi Palace has opened a dedicated “Clock Museum” inside the Has Ahirlar—the palace’s former Imperial Stables—bringing more than 300 restored timepieces from the Directorate of National Palaces' world-class holdings to visitors for the first time.
The launch drew First Lady Emine Erdogan, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, National Palaces President Yasin Yildiz, and leading figures from the arts world.
The display spans Ottoman clockmakers such as Ahmed Eflaki Dede and Suleyman Leziz as well as refined European examples, offering a rare cross-section of craftsmanship.
According to Yildiz, Topkapi’s clock holdings rank among the top three collections globally, which is why the palace’s “treasury is often described as a treasure of clocks.” He noted that the full clock collection comprises 380 pieces, and 300 of them—newly serviced and conserved—are now on show.
Yildiz said an earlier clock gallery had been too small for the depth of the holdings, so visitors could only see a fraction of the material. With the new venue, the entire clock collection has been brought out of storage.
He added that the museum occupies rooms historically used by the caretakers of the sultans’ horses, spaces that have now been individually restored.
Projects led by a scientific board will deliver four additional museums within the palace’s former Darphane-i Amire (the Imperial Mint) in the coming months.
These will present Topkapi’s porcelain collection, arms collection, a calligraphy museum, and a museum of industrial instruments, together bringing more than 10,000 portable works to the public.
As part of the centenary of National Palaces, a symposium on 24–26 November will gather museum leaders from 30 countries to exchange expertise and share the latest progress.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Yildiz explained that the clocks entered the palace as special commissions and diplomatic gifts from leading centers of horology.
He underlined that several items are unique worldwide and highlighted a “pendule” made for Sultan Mahmud II at the order of France’s Emperor Napoleon—one of only seven known examples—distinguished here by Istanbul views and an accompanying pocket watch.
The collection also includes pieces acquired during the reign of Abdulhamid II, alongside works by renowned French and British makers.
Topkapi Palace’s Clock Museum organizes the holdings under thematic groupings: Turkish Clocks, Longcase Clocks, Wall Clocks, Pocket Watches, Table Clocks, Seated Clocks, Decorative-Form Clocks, Measuring Instruments, and Workshop and Repair Tools. A special section dedicated to Turkish watchmaking brings together Ottoman masters’ works for the first time.
The museum is open 09:00 a.m.–05:00 p.m. daily except Tuesdays. For domestic visitors, the Museum Pass (Muzekart) is valid.
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