Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±

Museum of Turkish Jews

µþ±ð²â´ÇÄŸ±ô³Ü


Housed in a building attached to the Neve Shalom synagogue near the Galata Tower, this museum was established in 2001 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the arrival of the Sephardic Jews in the Ottoman Empire. The imaginatively curated and chronologically arranged interactive collection comprises photographs, video, sound recordings and objects that document the history, language and culture of the Jewish people in Turkey. Visitors must have a passport to enter.

Fascinating objects in the museum's collection include an array of Jewish ceremonial regalia with Turkish Ottoman influence, including a 19th-century hanukkiah (menorah made just for Hanukkah) in the shape of a minaret. Other highlights include a section about the Ladino (aka Judeo-Espanyol) language that includes musical recordings.

The Neve Shalom synagogue was built in 1951. It is possible to order kosher food packages to collect from the museum (call one or two days ahead).


Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±'s must-see attractions

Nearby µþ±ð²â´ÇÄŸ±ô³Ü attractions

2. Galata Tower

0.12 MILES

The cylindrical Galata Tower stands sentry over the approach to 'new' İstanbul. Constructed in 1348, it was the tallest structure in the city for…

3. Galata Mevlevi House Museum

0.13 MILES

The semahane (whirling-dervish hall) at the centre of this tekke (dervish lodge) was erected in 1491 and renovated in 1608 and 2009. It's part of a…

4. Arab Mosque

0.19 MILES

Built by the Genoese in 1337, this fortress-like mosque was the largest of İstanbul's Latin churches. Converted to a mosque after the Conquest, it was…

5. SALT Galata

0.21 MILES

The descriptor 'cultural centre' is used a lot in İstanbul, but is often a misnomer. Here at SALT Galata it really does apply. Housed in a magnificent…

6. Camondo Stairs

0.21 MILES

The curvaceous 18th-century Camondo Stairs, one of µþ±ð²â´ÇÄŸ±ô³Ü's most distinctive pieces of urban design, run south from Kart Çınar Sokak.

7. Anna Laudel Contemporary

0.22 MILES

Contemporary Turkish and international artists are featured in the shows at this gallery space, opened in late 2016 in one of the historic buildings in…

8. Ä°stanbul Modern

0.22 MILES

This lavishly funded and innovative museum has an extensive collection of Turkish art and also stages a constantly changing and uniformly excellent…