Carpet is one of those items that you can decorate your home with. Traditionally, it is placed on the floor, but it can also be hung on the wall. Carpet weaving is a branch of specialization in some countries. For example, in Iran, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Turkey. It is logical that in these states you can visit carpet museums. As a rule, they are located in the capital.
Museum of Azerbaijani Carpet
Azerbaijan is famous for carpet weaving among the countries neighboring Russia. The thematic museum appeared in Baku in the days of the USSR. It was opened in 1967 and until 2014 was called the State Museum of Carpet and Folk Applied Arts. In 2014, its name was changed to a modern one.
During the Soviet era, the museum was located in the building of a mosque. Such was the tradition in those years - to place museums in temples and mosques. In 1992, it was moved to the building of the former Lenin Museum, and the exposition occupied 13 halls.
The new building of this institution opened in 2014 in Seaside Park. It has become one of the symbols of the capital of Azerbaijan, because its shape resembles a carpet. built itAustrian architect, and President Ilham Aliyev himself signed the decree on its creation.
The museum's collection includes over 10 thousand exhibits. Including:
- Pile and lint-free carpets.
- Products made of metal, glass, clay and wood.
- Fabric and embroidery swatches.
- Products of local jewelers.
The exposition occupies three floors. It hosts lectures and has a library.
There are other attractions of Baku near the museum: funicular, Ferris wheel, Maiden Tower, Flag Square, Botanical Garden, National Museum of Art.
During Soviet times, it had a branch in the city of Shushi, but due to the conflict in Karabakh, the exposition was moved to Baku.
For those who plan to visit it, it is useful to know the opening hours of the Carpet Museum in Baku: from 10:00 to 18:00 on weekdays, except Monday, and from 10:00 to 20:00 on weekends. An adult ticket costs 280 rubles, and a child or student ticket is half the price.
You can fly to Baku from Russia by plane or by train.
Istanbul Museum
In the former capital of the Ottoman Empire, the museum of carpets and kilims appeared in 1979, that is, almost immediately after the opening of a similar institution in neighboring Iran. Initially, it was located on the territory of the Sultanahmet mosque, and since 2013, a more spacious room was allocated for it near the Hagia Sophia mosque. The exposition of the museum consists of 2500 carpets, which belong to the Seljuk and Ottoman periods. It is open from 09:00 to 16:00 from Tuesday to Saturday. Ticket costs 10lira.
Museum in Iran
The cultures of Iran and Azerbaijan are historically closely related. Therefore, one should not be surprised that there is a carpet museum in Tehran. It opened in 1978, that is, on the eve of the famous Islamic revolution. The building was built by order of the wife of the last Shah of the Pahlavi dynasty and is shaped like a loom.
The exposition occupies two floors, it tells about the history of the Iranian carpet from the 9th century. Visitors can watch films and slides.
Search for this museum should be in the center of Tehran. It is located near Meydan-e Khor metro station. From it you need to go west along the avenue towards Lale Park. It is located near the entrance to the park, next to the Museum of Modern Art.
Museum in Turkmenistan
Desert Turkmenistan is known not only for the Ruhnama and the oddities of its first president, but also for traditional carpet weaving. In 1993, a Turkmen carpet museum was founded in Ashgabat by decree of the head of state, which was officially opened a year later. They also sometimes like to advertise it as the only one in the world, but this is true only if we are talking specifically about Turkmen carpets. The museum building occupies about 5 thousand square meters. m.
The collection includes about 2000 exhibits, including unique carpets - the smallest (for carrying keys) and the "golden age" carpet with an area of 300 square meters. m. Last woven in 2001.
The museum is located 3 kilometers south of the Ashgabat railway station,next to the Golden Age park.
Museum in Zaslavl
Not far from the capital of Belarus is the ancient city of Zaslavl. There is already a decent museum complex for a small town, and since 2017 a separate carpet museum has been created. In Belarus they are called "malyavanki", that is, painted carpets. Now its exhibits can be seen at exhibitions, for example, in the National Museum. But in the coming years, a thematic carpet museum should also open.
Museums in Kovrov
There are no cities in Russia. One of them seems to be named after the carpet. It is located in the Vladimir region and is called Kovrov. There are enough attractions in this city: monuments to the gunsmiths Degtyarev and Shpagin, the Degtyarev Museum and the park named after him, Pushkin's garden, the Church of John the Warrior.
Besides this, it is worth visiting the historical and memorial museum of Kovrov. It is located near the train station. An adult ticket for all exhibitions costs 150 rubles.
