A Visit and Questions about the Zetinburnu Mosaic Museum

Searching for Byzantine Religious Floor Mosaics

• A Visit and Questions about the Zetinburnu Mosaic Museum
• Imprinted in Stone: Faith and Power in the Mosaics of Zeytinburnu
• What Zeytinburnu Mosaic Museum possible Found – A Church?

What a treasure trove to visit, where the elephant in the room is never mentioned. The most valuable aspect of this museum is its free admission and its many beautiful mosaics. Among the wealth of write-ups, videos, and display features, these mosaics offer a delightful surprise: a collection of nearly 100 cross-like designs, each more intricate and fascinating than the last.

Zeytinburnu Mosaic Museum

Just a few feet from the Zeytinburnu Marmaray station, the Zeytinburnu Mosaic Museum in İstanbul (in the Kazlıçeşme Arts Complex) showcases a large mosaic floor and related archaeological finds from the late Roman–early Byzantine period (roughly 4th–5th century AD). The predominance of symbols and the numerous crosses in the mosaics shown below the glass would lead any observer or visitor to perceive the Christian character of the flooring, yet the site remains silent on this matter.

While the museum may not highlight every detail beneath your feet, it excels at bringing the world of mosaics to life. The exhibits vividly explain what mosaics are and how they’re crafted, drawing you into the artistry behind them. For an even deeper understanding, don’t miss the interior video, which offers a fascinating look at the archaeological process in discovering these mosaics.

One key note about this museum, there are two rooms. One is located outside (the black gated frame in the picture), and the other is a door to the building’s interior (pictured on the left). The outside one is enclosed, and both can be entered through separate entrances on the buildings’ south sides.

Via Egnatia

Let’s clarify a few things about the areas near Istanbul’s ancient walls. Starting at the gates near the Marmara Sea, a significant Roman road, the Via Egnatia, was built in the second century B.C. This historic route ran along what is now the Marmaray shoreline.

The Via Egnatia stretched westward, passing through cities like Philippi and Thessalonica, and eventually reaching Macedonia. It was along this very road that the apostle Paul traveled to share the gospel of Christ. While the Romans originally built the Via Egnatia for military movements and trade, it also became a vital pathway for spreading the good news of salvation. Through both land routes, such as the Via Egnatia, and sea routes, God enabled the message of Christ to spread from Asia Minor into Europe.

Zetinburnu (Rhesion) settles on the ancient Roman road called Via Egnatia and this elevated hill area sits between ancient Hebdomon (Bakirkoy) and the coast area known as Kyklobion. Most of the churches in this ancient area were destroyed, so what was this location? The religious influence of this area should not be ignored.

However, the road ran along the coast, passing through Zeytinburnu and heading west to Hebdomon, which is identified as the district of Bakırköy. Then it went to Rhegion (Küçükçekmece), south of the lake, to Selymbria (near modern Silivri). Here is my take on what is known about this road.

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In considering the Via Egnatia road, which runs from Istanbul’s Golden Gate area along the Marmaray Sea, we arrive at Rhesion (Zeytinburnu), then at Hebdomon (Bakırköy). During the Byzantine period, distances were measured from the Milion stone near Hagia Sophia.

Walking Tour of Zeytinburnu

By the way, the area near the Marmaray stop in Zeytinburnu is highly eclectic. If interested in Central foods and markets, this is the place to visit. Each municipality of Istanbul has a walking street, and this one for Zeytinburnu is the most Central Asian in my opinion. See my walking tour. On the streets, other ethnic groups, such as Uighurs, Kazakhs, and Turkmen, operate stores and restaurants that reflect their cultural backgrounds.

Milion (Zero-mile marker in Constantinople)

The Romans used the Milion for the zero point for all road distances out of Constantinople. This marble stood among a gate that no longer exists. From this point, the Eastern Roman Empire measured distances to western cities. See my video on this (near a minute into this video on the southwest side of the Hagia Sophia.

One Roman mile (mille passuum) = approx. 1,480 meters (about 1.48 km) in Byzantine/Roman measurement.^[1]see Zero Point of Istanbul: Milion Stone by Levent Ağaoğlu. So based on these calculations and not modern ones, we find that “Hebdomon” comes from the Greek word for “seventh” — because it was located at the 7th Roman mile from the Milion along the Via Egnatia. This location, known as Bakırköy, is 7 Roman miles (10.4 km) west of the Milion. Rhesion (Zeytinburnu) is approximately 2.5 miles closer to the walls, and 4-4.5 miles from the Milion. This area has historically been known as the first elevated area outside the walls before reaching the plain of Hebdomon.

Rhesion (Zeytinburnu)

Levent Ağaoğlu notes, “After leaving the city walls of Istanbul, you first arrive at the small fishing village on the coast of Zeytinburnu, which was called Kiklobion cape in Byzantium, then from the Veliefendi Hippodrome to today’s Yenimahalle side, which is decorated with military training and official buildings, and then two important churches, two palaces, It was coming to Hebdomon, where important structures such as monasteries and cisterns are located, that is, the coastal part of today’s Bakırköy.”^[2]https://www.booksonturkey.com/zero-point-of-istanbul-milion-stone/

As is evident here, Rhesion – Ῥήσιον (Zeytinburnu) is sometimes called the Kiklobion (Κυκλόβιον) cape. Rhesion is the settlement, while Kiklobion describes the cape and the ridge. Also, one should not confuse Rhesion with Reghion, which lies beyond the area of ancient Hebdomon and describes the outer region where the land was formerly a plain, most likely Ataköy today.

This route hosted pilgrimage springs, churches with relics and a military post (s) along the way.

Church of St. Mary of the Spring

Near this area (3.5 kilometers away) is the Zoodochos Pege (Church of St. Mary of the Spring), which was a monastery from at least the 6th century. The grave sites near to that church most likely hosted a large complex that included agricultural land to sustain the complex and pilgrims.

This church, north of the Via Egnatia, is an important pilgrimage area. That, at one point, was part of a larger out-of-the-city stopover for those entering the city.

Hebdomon (Bakırköy)

Historically, the Hebdomon hosted St. John Promodos Church, an ancient Byzantine church that stood along this roadway. The ruins were on display until the construction of the Bakırköy Hospital in 1965.^[3]see https://www.thebyzantinelegacy.com/prodromos-hebdomon for former pictures of this basilica from As mentioned, Hebdomon meaning 7, for it is seven miles from the center of Constantinople, became a key military zone outside of the city.^[4]https://www.thebyzantinelegacy.com/hebdomon – on this site is a proposed map of the area also.

Possible Religious Influence in Zeytinburnu

The number of crosses and the intricate designs incorporating the cross should make any historian wonder which possible religious site once hosted these mosaics. I realize the museum itself is not proposing this, but let’s consider historical places that could have been on or near this location.

This series will continue to investigate the reasons why this could be a Byzantine religious site and to examine similar mosaics found in Byzantine churches.