Istanbul: A Journey through Art & Empire

Tour Overview

Explore the artistic and architectural treasures of Istanbul with Dr. Richard McClary, an expert in Byzantine and Ottoman art history from the University of York. Over three days, this guided tour journeys through the city’s two great empires: the Byzantine era, with its luminous mosaics and monumental churches, and the Ottoman period, celebrated for its stunning mosques, palaces, and intricate decorative arts. From the enduring legacies of Byzantine design to the grandeur and refinement of Ottoman art and architecture, participants will gain a deep understanding of the city’s visual culture and its evolution across centuries, all through the lens of one of the world’s most dynamic urban landscapes.

Prior to the Istanbul tour, Dr Richard McClary will present a three-session online course, Exploring Islamic Art: From Objects to Its Markets. This engaging series will offer valuable insights into the themes and artworks encountered on the tour. Click the button below to learn more and to register.

Dates
7-9 May 2027

Fee
€2400

€2780 course and Istanbul tour (purchase online below)

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Tour Schedule

Day 1: The Byzantine City

The Hippodrome, Byzantine Palace floor mosaics, Saints Sergius and Bachus Church (‘Little Hagia Sophia Mosque’)

LUNCH

Istanbul Archaeology Museum (and Tiled Kiosk), Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern.

We start with an exploration of the surviving remnants of the last capital of the Roman empire and explore their impact on the later Ottoman monuments. The remains of the Byzantine palace include wonderful floor mosaics, and a visit to small but perfect formed Byzantine church is followed after lunch by the rich array of objects from across the city and beyond in the archaeological museum. The day concludes with the mother church, and an underground cistern filled with huge carved columns and capitals.

Day 2: Ottoman Art

Topkapı Palace

LUNCH

Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque

The second day starts with an extensive tour of the heart of the Sublime Porte, the seat of Ottoman power, including the harem, the holy relics from Mecca and a wide variety of public and private spaces. The afternoon starts with the main museum of Islamic art, with examples of some of the finest carpets in the world, and concludes with one of the smaller, and less visited but superb, Ottoman mosques of the city.

Group dinner

Day 3: Ottoman Architecture

Beyazit Mosque, Covered Bazaar, Nuruosmaniye Mosque

LUNCH

Rustem Pasha Mosque, Sadberk Hanım Museum

The final day focusses on Imperial Ottoman Mosque architecture, from the emergence of the high Ottoman style at the Beyazit Mosque, to the development of the Ottoman baroque style in the Nuruosmaniye Mosque. After visiting the wonderfully tiled Rustem Pasha Mosque, the day concludes with an extended visit to Vebi Koç’s private collection in the Sadberk Hanım Museum. Located on the shores of the Bosphorus, it has one of the greatest collections of Iznik ceramics in the world.

Closing Drinks