Panorama 1453 History Museum: the conquest of Constantinople in 360°, tickets and opening hours

Updated on October 1, 2026

The Panorama 1453 History Museum (Panorama 1453 Tarih Müzesi) brings back to life the conquest of Constantinople by the army of Mehmed II on 29 May 1453, in a 360° panoramic painting that also covers the dome. Opened in 2009 by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, which presents it as the world's first fully panoramic museum, it stands in Topkapı Culture Park, opposite the [Theodosian Walls](/fr/attractions/murailles-de-theodose), close to the spot where the Ottomans broke through the walls. Before the painting, a permanent exhibition retraces the siege and the life of the sultan. A ticket costs 900 TL for foreign visitors (price checked in October 2026). The museum is run by Kültür AŞ, the municipality's culture company, not by the Ministry of Culture: the Ministry's cards (MüzeKart, Museum Pass Istanbul) are not valid here. Allow about an hour for the visit.

Highlights

The panoramic painting

From a central platform, under a dome 38 m across, you stand in the middle of the assault: breached walls, cannons, smoke and some 10,000 figures, life-size in the foreground and growing smaller towards the horizon. At the foot of the painting, a 650 m² three-dimensional foreground, with replicas of cannons, gun carriages and powder barrels, blends into the 2,350 m² of painting around it. The roar of the cannons, the shouts of the soldiers and the mehter band accompany the visit. The painting was made between 2005 and 2008 by eight artists, coordinated by the painter Haşim Vatandaş.

The exhibition on the conquest

The route leading to the painting tells the story of the city's founding, the siege of 1453, the life of Mehmed II and the rebuilding of Istanbul after the conquest, with reproductions of miniatures, engravings and paintings. At the start of the route and on level -1, a gallery brings together portraits of the 36 Ottoman sultans, from Osman I to Mehmed VI, lent by the Atatürk Library. At the exit, eight miniatures by the painter Nusret Çolpan illustrate the main stages of the siege, including the ships hauled overland into the Golden Horn.

Topkapı Gate

The gate that gave the district its name, the Byzantines' Gate of St Romanus, is a few minutes' walk from the museum. Its Turkish name, "Cannon Gate", recalls the great cannon of Mehmed II, aimed at this section of the walls during the siege. When you leave the museum, walk along the walls to see the real setting of the painting.

Infos pratiques

Tips

A ticket costs 900 TL for foreign visitors, 330 TL full price for residents and 90 TL reduced (students, teachers, military personnel, police officers); children aged 6 and under visiting with their family get in free (prices checked in October 2026). At the ticket desk, only bank cards and the İstanbulkart are accepted, no cash; tickets are also sold online on Passo, the only reseller recognised by the museum. The painting's platform is not suitable for pushchairs: leave them at the entrance. The visit combines well with a walk along the [Theodosian Walls](/fr/attractions/murailles-de-theodose), and it is a good choice if you are looking for [things to do in Istanbul when it rains](/fr/articles/que-faire-a-istanbul-quand-il-pleut).

How to get there

Merkez Efendi Mahallesi, Topkapı Kültür Park İçi Yolu, 34015 Zeytinburnu, Istanbul. Tram T1 (Kabataş-Bağcılar) or T4 (Topkapı-Mescid-i Selam), Topkapı stop, at the edge of the park. Metrobüs: Topkapı station, then the footbridge and about 5 minutes on foot.