National treasures of Korea at Topkapı Palace

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

The exhibition ‘Majesty and Grace: The Art of Korea’ displays a total of 165 artifacts, regarded as the national treasures of Korea. It will continue until Sept 29.

Istanbul’s Topkapı Palace is hosting for the first time the magnificent art of Korea. The exhibition “Majesty and Grace: The Art of Korea,” which is being jointly organized by the Korean Culture, Sports and Tourism Ministry, the Korean National Museum and the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry, opened yesterday at the Has Ahırlar section of the palace.

The exhibition, featuring artifacts from various periods in Korean history, aims to promote the culture of Korea, reflecting the history of the country to Turkish people. In return, Korea hosted the Turkish exhibition, “The Civilizations of Turkey, Emperors in Istanbul,” which was organized at the National Museum of Korea and the Busan Museum, the country’s two largest museums, between April 30, 2012 and Jan. 27, 2013.

This was the first major exhibition of Turkey in Korea. It focused on the abundant cultural heritage of Istanbul, from the Hittite Empire to its days as the capital of the Greek and Roman Empire, the Eastern Roman Empire, and finally, the Ottoman Empire. Turkish treasures from the Topkapı Palace Museum and other institutes were shown for the first time in Korea, including artifacts from ancient civilizations well known through myths, such as Troy, Anatolia, and Persia, as well as fine Greek and Roman sculptures, holy relics of the Eastern Roman Empire, and national treasures from the court of the Ottoman sultans, the Eastern Roman Empire, and the splendor of the Ottoman Empire.

National treasures of Korea

“Majesty and Grace: The Art of Korea” displays a total of 165 artifacts, including the ones regarded as the national treasures of Korea, under five different sections. Among these items are objects unearthed from royal graves, traditional accessories symbolizing power, objects symbolizing Buddhism, the first religion in old Korea and pots and porcelains reflecting the local life in Korea.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition will host the director of the National Museum of Korea and the ambassador of the Korean Republic to Ankara, Lee Sangkyu, and Korean foods will be served at the event.

Within the scope of the exhibition, a conference will be held today at 10 a.m. at the Topkapı Palace.

The conference will be on the cultural heritages of Korea. And also with the exhibition, the Korean Embassy will organize various events in different parts of Turkey to introduce Korean culture.

The exhibition will continue until Sept. 29.