Visitors to Gaziantep usually have two things on their minds: eating as much Antep food as humanly possible and admiring the exquisite Greek and Roman mosaics in the Zeugma Mosaic Museum.
The world’s largest mosaic museum houses a staggering collection of mosaics from the ancient city of Zeugma, near Gaziantep. The Zeugma mosaics date from the Roman and Late Antique periods and are regarded as some of the finest Roman mosaics in the world. A small but magnificent mosaic called The Gypsy Girl is the most famous piece in the museum’s collection.
The Zeugma Mosaic Museum should be on the top of your to-do list when visiting Gaziantep. After seeing the Zeugma mosaics in Gaziantep, you’ll agree that they are among the top archaeological treasures in Türkiye.
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Quick Guide to the Zeugma Mosaic Museum
- Opening Hours: 08:30-22:00 every day ( last entrance 21:30)
- Address: Mithatpaşa Mahallesi,Hacı Sani Konukoğlu Bulvarı Tekel Caddesi,No:2 (map)
- Entrance Fee: 65 Lira
- Tip: The Turkey Museum Pass allows free access to over 200 museums in Turkey, including the Zeugma Museum
- Suggested Time: At least 2 hours
- Photography: Allowed (free)
- Still planning your Gaziantep trip? I loved staying at Ali Bey Konagi
History of Ancient Zeugma & the Mosaics
Zeugma is an ancient Hellenistic Greek and later Roman city located about 50 km from the centre of modern-day Gaziantep.
Seleucus, a general and successor of Alexander the Great, founded Zeugma in the 3rd century BC.
Zeugma was located on the banks of the Euphrates River, at the point where the river is the shallowest. This allowed Seleucus to construct the first bridge spanning the Euphrates River. The city grew in size and wealth thanks to the tax for using the bridge.
The Roman Republic gained control over the area in 64 BC, and Zeugma became a significant city in the Empire. Zeugma continued growing, with 70,000 inhabitants at its height.
As wealthy people do, the citizens of Zeugma spent their money building lavish mansions and bathhouses adorned with the finest mosaics of the ancient world.
Zeugma was finally abandoned in the 7th century after Persian and Arab raids.
With the construction of the Birecik Dam in the Euphrates in 2000, the rising waters would entirely swallow Zeugma and its ancient mosaics. In an emergency excavation, about 3,000 square meters of mosaic, 140 square meters of frescoes, 4 Roman fountains, 20 columns and four limestone statues were moved to the Gaziantep Archeology Museum.
The Zeugma mosaics were moved to the newly built Zeugma Mosaic Museum in 2011. Today, the museum is the largest mosaic museum in the world, with an incredible collection of ancient Greek and Roman mosaics.
The Zeugma Mosaic Museum
The world’s largest mosaic museum consists of three sections.
Block A (the entrance at the ticket office) displays the Zeugma mosaics, frescoes, columns, fountains and the bronze statue of Mars.
Block B, accessed by a bridge from the upper levels of Block A, houses even more mosaics. These mosaics, excavated from Gaziantep and the surrounding area, are mainly church floor mosaics from the Eastern Roman period.
Block C is a conference facility. Outside, between the two annexes, is a museum cafe and souvenir shop.
Mosaics in the Zeugma Museum: Block A
Take a look at a few of the stunning mosaics in the Zeugma Mosaics Museum to get you excited about your visit.
Block A houses the Zeugma mosaics and they’re fascinating.
Oceanos and Tethys Mosaic
The stunning Oceanos and Tethys is the first mosaic to greet visitors to the Zeugma Mosaic Museum. The floor mosaic dates from the Imperial Roman period and comes from a shallow pool of the House of Oceanos.
Oceanos, the god of all river gods, and his wife, Tethys, are depicted. Surrounding them, various fish and dolphins symbolize the abundance of the sea.
Between Oceanos and Tethys is a mythical dragon called Cetos. Cetos represents the Euphrates River.
Look out for pointers on the floor that mark the best spot for taking photos.
Zeugma Museum: First Floor
After passing a few surviving wall frescoes, you will enter the museum’s main hall. Here you’ll find some incredible floor mosaics between the tall columns.
The enormous printed backdrop of the hills around Zeugma, where the mosaics come from, makes it feel like you’re in the ancient city rather than a museum.
The museum did an excellent job at recreating the original setting.
Achilles at Skyros
This large mosaic from the Poseidon Villa in Zeugma comes from a fountain, as seen from the water outlet in the centre.
To save Achilles from going to the Trojan War, his mother disguises him as a woman and sends him off to King Lycomedes. But clever Odysseus is not stupid and finds out about the plan.
Odysseus blows his war horn to trick Achilles, and brave Achilles instinctively picks up his weapons. This mosaic depicts the moment when the truth is revealed.
Eros & Psyche
Another stunning mosaic is Eros and Psyche, also from the Poseidon Villa. The vivid colours and astonishing details make it one of my favourite mosaics in the museum.
The mosaic depicts the winged god, Eros (Love), sitting beside his wife, Psyche (Soul).
The intricate border with fruit, leaves, and other organic elements and geometric designs is, for me, even better than the centrepiece.
Other Floor Mosaics from Zeugma
With so many incredible mosaics, each telling its own story, it’s almost impossible to cover them all here. When words fail, pictures will have to do. Here are a few photos of my favourite floor mosaics in the Zeugma Mosaic Museum.
Zeugma Museum: Second Floor
Up on the second floor, you’ll get a great view of the mosaics below on the first floor. You really get a sense of scale when looking down from above.
The mosaics on the second floor are predominantly wall panels, but there are also floor mosaics.
The most famous mosaic in the Zeugma Museum, The Gypsy Girl, is also on the second floor.
The Kidnapping of Europa
This wall mosaic tells the myth of Zeus, who disguises himself as a bull to seduce Europa and lure her away from her friends. Europa falls for the charming bull, who then carries her off across the sea to a land that will later be named after her.
The Gypsy Girl
The most famous mosaic in the museum, The Gypsy Girl, has its own room just for itself. Actually, it’s just a fragment of mosaic.
Displayed in a dark room with melancholic music, only the small fragment is illuminated. My eyes took some time to adjust to the darkness, but once I stood face-to-face with the Gypsy Girl, I quickly realised why it was so famous.
The intense stare of the girl was incredibly moving and powerful. It was like looking back at thousands of years’ history. Her eyes go from happy to sad and back again, and it feels like her eyes follow you wherever you go in the room.
Because of her intense gaze, she is often called the Mona Lisa of Zeugma.
No one is sure who the Gypsy Girl is. She was jokingly called the Gypsy Girl when she was unearthed from under the rubble of the dining room in the Mainad Villa. With her uncombed hair, high cheekbones, round face and large earring, the nickname stuck until today.
No one is sure who she is or what she represents, or if she is even a she.
Some say that it is, in fact, Alexander the Great, while others believe that the Gypsy Girl is Gaia, the Goddess of Earth.
Today the Gypsy Girl is Gaziantep’s symbol, and you’ll see her face all over Turkey on travel posters and ads.
I stared into her mysterious eyes before I even came to Gaziantep. Her face welcomed me on the inflight entertainment system on Turkish Airlines on my flight to Turkey.
Mosaics in the Zeugma Museum: Block B
On the second floor, look for a door leading to a walkway that will take you to Block B. Don’t mistake this for an exit; it will take you to another museum annexe filled with even more mosaics.
The mosaics in Block B are not from Zeugma. They are all excavated from Gaziantep and the surrounding area. All the mosaics are floor mosaics from churches belonging to the Eastern Roman period.
The mosaics in Block B are much simpler in design than the Zeugma mosaics. Designs mostly feature geometric designs and some very cool mosaics of animals.
Tip: Go for lunch at the excellent Kuslemeci Halil Usta, located on a side street just a block behind the museum after your visit. The kusleme is the best in Gaziantep. Learn more about where and what to eat in our Gaziantep food guide.
The Zeugma Mosaic Museum is a must-visit when in Gaziantep. For more info, check out the official Zeugma Mozaik Müzesi website. If you have any questions about visiting the museum, drop them in the comments below and we’ll try out best to help.
Has the zeugma museum survived the earthquake?
Hi Wilma,
I was looking for that information myself, and cannot find anything on the damage at the Zeugma Mosaic Museum.
Besides the tragic loss of lives and homes, the Gaziantep castle suffered severe damage, but no news so far on the museum.
I’m sure the true damage of the quake will take some time to come to light.
Any news about after effects of the earthquake on the city of Gaziantep? We’re planning a trip to Turkey next month and will be in Mersin for a couple of days. We’re thinking about checking out the food in Gaziantep and love all of your postings about the city. So sad about the earthquake that happened there last year!
Hello Keith,
Adding Gaziantep sounds like a great idea. One reader reported back to us after the earthquake that she visited all the restaurants we mentioned and they were all operating.
Sorry, but that is as much as I know. I have no idea about the sights or tourist attractions.
Please do let us know how things are on the ground if you decide to visit Gaziantep.