ceramics  islamic arts  ottoman culture  anatolian seljuks  tiled kiosk  kütahya tiles  sultan abdülhamit ı  çinili köşk  seljuks  tiled pavilion  crystal palace  sırça saray  kasr-ı kaşi  keshan pavilion  head clerks palace  kum meydanı  sand court  saray ağası  müze-i hümayün  ımperial museum  

Çinili Köşk ~English: Tiled Pavilion or Tiled Kiosk, now serving as a museum where outstanding samples of Turkish tiles and ceramics are exhibited, was built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror in 1472 and due to the tiles adorning its interior and exterior it is called Sırça Saray ~English: Crystal Palace~ or Kasr-ı Kaşi (Keshan Pavilion). It is known that sports competitions were held at Ağa Çayırı (Master's Meadow), Kalfa Yeri (Head Clerk's Palace) and Kum Meydanı (Sand Court) on the grounds surrounding the pavilion.

In spite of the changes it has undergone during its history, the building with its porticoed entrance, eyvans (liwan) and tiles is the only secular building belonging too the Ottoman civilian architecture in İstanbul in Seljukian style. The harmony of the turquoise, white, purple and dark blue tiles made in the mosaic technique are indicators of a well-developed sense of decoration. The inscription circumscribing the door below the eyvan decorated with mosaic tiles at the entrance gives the completion date of the construction and lauds its beauty as well. The present portico consisting of 14 marble columns was constructed during the reign of Sultan Abdülhamit I (1774-1789) after the (orginal) old wooden portico burned down in 1737.

After the fire, Çinili Köşk was alloted to the Saray Ağası (Palace Master's) for a while. In 1875 when it was decided to be used as a museum some changes were made in the interior and it was opened in 1880 as Müze-i Hümayün (Imperial Museum). For a long time, the building was used for the display of archaeological and Islamic artifacts. In 1939, Çinili Köşk was turned over to the Topkapı Palace Museum and its artifacts were dispersed to different museums, thus for a time Çinili Köşk lost its function as a museum.