Turkiye’s Silk Road Museum – exhibition of rich legacy on ancient Silk Road

Baku, September 23, AZERTAC Located in Turkiye’s northern Trabzon province, the Silk Road Museum hosts many visitors with over 500 unique pieces from different eras and civilizations. The museum, which was opened in 2014 by Trabzon Chamber Commerce of Industry (TTSO) in Ortahisar district, contain unique pieces, including rare, authentic Quran from the 18th century, a 500 years old book ‘Durer’ written by Mullah Husrev, Mehmet II, the Conqueror’s primary teacher and mentor. More than 10,000 people from all over the world visit the museum annually, however the number of visitors decreased because of the pandemic-related conditions and restrictions in 2020 and 2021. Its extraordinary, distinguished pieces highlight the different periods of Trabzon. However, two recently-found spearheads are of particular importance. They prove that the history of Trabzon dates back six millennia ago. Trabzon, also called Trebizond, historically Trapezus, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Persia in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast. Trabzon’s importance in the ancient Silk Road has blessed it with favourable trade and cultural exchange over the ages, and the city today continues to fervently display this legacy. The Venetian and Genoese merchants paid visits to Trebizond during the medieval period and sold silk, linen and woolen fabric. Both republics had merchant colonies within the city – Leonkastron and the former 'Venetian castle' – that played a role to Trebizond similar to the one Galata played to Constantinople (modern Istanbul).