Istanbul, the capital city of Turkey, is currently being received as the guest of honour at the Grand Palais in Paris.
De Byzance à Istanbul, un port pour deux continents outlines the history of the grand city which was, from 324 to 1453 AD, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, and from 1453 to 1922, capital of the Ottoman Empire. Throughout its history, the city was known as Byzance, New Rome and Constantinople before being renamed Istanbul.
The show includes an impressive array of more than 500 rare artefacts such as books, manuscripts, engravings, icons, jewellery, coins, statues, utensils and other pieces that reveal the rich history of the impressive city. In the spotlight is the structure of Istanbul’s urban and daily life throughout the eras.
A projection on the ceiling features 22 church and mosque domes, built between the 6th and19th centuries, is a certain highlight of the show. The exhibit ends January 25, 2010.