FROM CONSTANTINOPLE TO ISTANBUL: ONE CITY, TWO EMPIRES

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London presents From Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires, an exhibition exploring more than 1,600 years of artistic, architectural and cultural heritage shaped by the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.

Bringing together over 200 artworks and historical objects, the exhibition traces the city’s transformation from the foundation of Constantinople as the capital of the Roman Empire in AD 330 to the end of the Ottoman Empire in 1922. Through an extensive collection of mosaics, textiles, ceramics, jewellery, manuscripts, sculptures and architectural elements, it examines the artistic traditions and cultural exchanges that shaped the identity of one of the world’s most influential cities.

Organised into four thematic sections — Roman Beginnings, Heaven and Earth, Power and Reach, and Life in the City — the exhibition explores the relationship between architecture, art, imperial power and everyday urban life. Particular attention is given to the influence of Byzantine architecture on later Ottoman structures, including the architectural legacy of Hagia Sophia and its impact on the development of Ottoman mosque architecture.

Beyond monumental buildings and imperial collections, the exhibition also reveals the social and cultural fabric of the city through objects associated with traditional crafts, clothing, bathhouses, coffeehouses and domestic life. Together, these works highlight the interaction of different artistic traditions and the enduring cultural richness of Constantinople and Istanbul across successive historical periods.

From Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires is on view at the V&A South Kensington in London from 7 November 2026 to 9 May 2027.