Facing the Blue Mosque in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet Square, the Turkish and Islamic Art Museum was re-opened on Friday [19 December 2014] after intensive restoration work that cost TL 16.4 million ($7.09 million). Erected in 1524, the newly renovated museum was formerly the residential palace of Ottoman Sultan Süleyman I’s Grand Vizier İbrahim Pasha. Speaking during the opening ceremony, Culture and Tourism Minister Ömer Çelik said safeguarding our cultural heritage is not a preferential decision, but a must for the future.
Read More: Turkish and Islamic Art Museum Reopened After 2-Year Refit