Türkiye’s first Time Museum a hidden gem for enthusiasts

KONYA

Türkiye’s first Time Museum, showcasing artifacts related to the concept of time from the Roman era to the present, is inviting visitors on a journey through the ages.

Located in the Central Anatolian province of Konya's historic Sille district, a settlement with a history spanning 5,000 years, the museum is housed in a chapel restored in 2012.

The museum boasts a vast collection from the Ottoman and Republican periods, including intricately designed clocks, pocket watches, desk calendars and handwritten official calendars.

Among the highlights are a Roman-era sundial, rüznames — calendars commissioned by Ottoman pashas — and an astrolabe — an astronomical device developed in the 9th century by Islamic scholars in Egypt.

According to Sercan Yayla, the museum’s curator and an expert archaeologist, the site was once known as the “Milk Chapel.”

“Historically, women who struggled with breastfeeding would come here to pray, believing their breakmilk would increase. The chapel remained active until 1924, when, following the population exchange, the Christian Turks residing in the area were relocated to Greece,” he explained.

Over time, treasure hunters ransacked the chapel, leaving it in a state of severe disrepair until its revival.

Perched atop an Ottoman-era cemetery, the museum’s location further reinforces the theme of time.

“Birth, death — everything is a testament of time,” Yayla noted.

Through extensive research and contributions from collectors across the country, the museum came to life in 2014. A year later, it was honored with the Figure Award from the Historic Towns Union.

Since its opening, the museum has attracted visitors from Türkiye and beyond.