Exhibition on Sultan Mehmed II’s life at Presidential Library draws great interest

The special exhibition showcasing artifacts related to Sultan Mehmed II, who closed an era and opened a new one by conquering Istanbul, has attracted significant public interest.

The “Sultan Mehmed II Exhibition” features a total of 77 artifacts, including items from his childhood, his sword, his armored shirt, his cloaks, and his decrees. Due to high demand, the exhibition has been extended until September.

Held at the Presidential Library, the exhibition opened on the 571st anniversary of Istanbul’s conquest.

It is taking place at the Seljuk Museum and Exhibition Hall and includes many significant items, from Sultan Mehmed II’s sword and armored shirt to his cloaks and decrees.

Among the exhibits, a childhood diary believed to belong to Sultan Mehmed II and an artwork by Italian painter Fausto Zonaro depicting Sultan Mehmed II entering Istanbul on horseback stand out. Zonaro’s painting, which shows himself as an Ottoman soldier holding a rifle on the left side of Sultan Mehmed, has attracted visitors’ attention.

Additionally, the exhibition features the Golden Horn chain, edicts, and the cloak said to have been worn by Sultan Mehmed II at the time of his death.

The exhibition also includes Sultan Mehmed II’s medallion, gold, silver, and bronze coins, manuscripts from scholars of the period, the Hagia Sophia Foundation Deed prepared by Sultan Mehmed II, and the “Divan-i Avni” work written under the pen name “Avni.”

Berk Celebi, Corporate Communications Manager of the Presidential Library, stated that the exhibition was inaugurated by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on May 29 and will remain open until the end of September.

Celebi noted that while summer months are usually quiet due to holidays, the exhibition has garnered significant interest.