Over 10,000 figures were presented to visitors at the "Istanbul Historical Peninsula Model Exhibition" as part of the promotional event, prepared in collaboration between Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's (IBB) Culture Department and ModelPort, Miniatürk.
Ayşe Çağlayan, the director of the department, stated that Miniatürk, a museum that displays miniature figures of landmarks, opened in 2003, is a museum that represents important works in Istanbul, Türkiye and abroad, adding: "We are constantly striving to improve it, and we have new additions. Because the important works of every city and every country are exhibited here."
A new addition has been added to the museum, displaying a miniature version of the historical peninsula of Istanbul.
"The lifestyle of 400 years ago in Topkapı Palace is represented here, including the gardens and elephants. Many things can be seen, such as the street, palace life, and period entertainment elements in Sultanahmet and the historical peninsula.
We wanted to display them vividly besides learning the history from the books. When you come and see our models, you feel like you are living inside because they are animated," she said.
Murat Soysal, the producer of the ModelPort exhibition, stated that Istanbul, especially the historical peninsula area, attracts millions of tourists every year.
Pointing out the interest in the Sultanahmet and Hagia Sophia Mosque area, Soysal said: "We took that 400,000-square-meter area, reduced it 87 times, and made a model exhibition. This model exhibition is the largest in providing cultural and historical information both in Türkiye and the world."
Soysal stated that the exhibition was mostly made with three-dimensional printers as a result of five years of work. "We told a story in every 30 square centimeters. We made these stories by examining hundreds of sources and consulting experts. The life of Istanbul 400 years ago is animated by more than 10,000 figures, most of which are movable," he added.
Soysal added they prepared an entertaining and informative exhibition with sound, smoke, and movements accompanying the figures and that the exhibition will also be displayed abroad.