Miniaturk

At Miniaturk you can stroll past Hagia Sophia, Edirne's Selimiye Mosque, the Galata Tower and the Library of Celsus in roughly an hour, all at about knee height. This park of miniatures in the open air lies on the north shore of the Golden Horn and is run by the Istanbul municipality. A foreign visitor's ticket is 900 TL in 2026. Adults on a short visit can skip it, but few places in Istanbul are designed so much with children in mind.

Key facts

History in brief

The park opened in 2003 on what had been an industrial strip of the Golden Horn, as part of a long project to clean the waterway and return its banks to the public. It spreads over about 60,000 square metres, of which the models take up about 15,000. The official list has 139 works. Most are made at roughly 1:25 scale, so a mosque dome comes up to about your shoulder and a minaret is slightly taller than you.

Highlights

The models are arranged in three zones.

• Istanbul. The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Bosphorus Bridge, Galata Tower, Dolmabahce Palace, the Maiden's Tower and the gates of Topkapi Palace, plus lesser-known buildings such as Haydarpasa railway station, where a little train runs past the front.
• Anatolia. Sumela Monastery, the Library of Celsus in Ephesus, the statues of Mount Nemrut, Edirne's Selimiye Mosque, and the Temple of Artemis and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, two buildings that vanished long ago and were reconstructed here from ancient accounts.
• Former Ottoman lands. Bosnia's Mostar Bridge, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and more buildings from across the former empire.

You will also find a playground, a maze, remote-controlled boats and a small train that goes round the park. An information point beside each model tells its story briefly in several languages.

Who it suits

Kids aged about four to twelve usually love it. It also helps introduce them to Turkey's major sights ahead of or after a trip round the country. Fans of model railways and architecture enjoy the detail. Adults with only two or three days in the city will get more out of the originals, all within walking distance of one another in Sultanahmet.

When to go

Weekdays in spring and autumn are ideal. Shade is limited, so summer afternoons get hot. In term time school groups arrive on weekday mornings, and local families fill the park at weekends. Allow 90 minutes, and time for lunch at the café.

Miniaturk is not part of any of our tours. The most flexible choice is our private Mercedes Vito day with a driver: eight hours for up to six passengers, from US$220 per vehicle, with stops of your choosing. The Best of Istanbul private tour covers Pierre Loti Hill and the Golden Horn, only a short drive away. Find more ideas among our Istanbul tours.

Getting there

The park lies about 6 km from Sultanahmet. Depending on traffic, a taxi needs 15 to 30 minutes. Buses run on the shore road of the Golden Horn, and ferries on the Halic line stop at Sutluce pier, a short walk from the park.

Tips

• In summer, bring water and hats.
• The paths are easy with a pushchair.
• Arrive early for photos of the models without crowds behind them.
• Eyup and Pierre Loti Hill are a short taxi ride further up the Golden Horn; combine them with your visit.

Our Istanbul guide has other Golden Horn sights.

Frequently Asked Questions