Working Models: A Science Day in Gülhane

1. 01
   Culture

   Pause in Front of the Elephant Clock

   Visit the Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam, opened on 24 May 2008 and based on the work of Fuat Sezgin. Across twelve sections, you will see working replicas of instruments by Islamic scholars from the 9th to the 16th centuries. At the entrance stands al-Jazari’s Elephant Clock, where an Indian elephant, a Chinese dragon, an Egyptian phoenix, and Greek mechanics come together.

   İslam Bilim ve Teknoloji Tarihi Müzesi, Istanbul, Turkey
2. 02
   Art

   Take Shelter in the Library Inside the Park

   Step into the Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar Literature Museum Library inside Gülhane Park. Named after a novelist, this museum-library holds both books and personal belongings of writers. If rain starts, this is the nearest roof in the middle of the park, and entry is free.

   Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar Edebiyat Müze Kütüphanesi, Istanbul, Turkey
3. 03
   History

   Find the Column Whose Inscription You Can Read

   Seek out the Column of the Goths, an 18.5-meter monument carved from a single piece of Marmara marble. On its base is a Latin inscription: 'Because the Goths were defeated, to returning Fortuna.' Who it was built for and when remains debated, with proposals ranging from the 3rd to the 6th century.

   Gotlar Sütunu, Gulhane Park, Istanbul, Turkey
4. 04
   Nature

   Walk Downward to Make Your Exit

   Finish with a walk through Gülhane Park toward Sarayburnu and out via the Sirkeci side. The park opened to the public in 1912; before that, it was the outer garden of Topkapı Palace. One key detail shapes the route: the park is not flat, but slopes down from the palace toward Sarayburnu, so the route works best from top to bottom.

   Gulhane Park, Sarayburnu side, Istanbul, Turkey

Check opening hours before you go. Hours, access conditions and weather can change.