Anyone who has walked through the Grand Bazaar knows them: Turkish mosaic lamps that bathe the whole aisle in red, blue and gold. In the workshop you make such a lamp yourself.
Advertising: If you book through our links, we may receive a commission – at no extra cost to you.
Coloured glass, your own pattern, a lamp to take home: the mosaic lamp workshop is one of the most colourful experiences in Istanbul.
Istanbul and the art of light
Light played an important design role in mosques, palaces and interiors. Islamic and Ottoman art worked intensively with ornaments, repetition and floral and geometric forms. Glass and ceramics were used for decorative objects, such as the famous tiles in the Blue Mosque. Historical lamps from Ottoman times are part of this story.
Not quite. The colourful "Turkish mosaic lamps" common in bazaars and workshops today pick up historical ornament, glass and light aesthetics, but they are not simply an Ottoman product handed down unchanged over centuries. They are a modern craft form that refers to this imagery.
What the offer includes
According to the offer description, you assemble coloured glass pieces to your own design into a mosaic lamp. The provider states about two hours. According to the description the offer takes place in a historic Ottoman inn, with Turkish tea and sweets. The lamp is packed protectively for the journey home. The specific variant may differ; please check language, material and accessibility on the booking page.
In the workshop you choose glass pieces in different colours, decide on pattern and arrangement and see how the light changes the colours. That creates a link between historical aesthetics and a modern, creative experience.
If you would like to make your own lamp, you can find current dates here.
Why the experience fits Istanbul so well
Glass, light and colour are everywhere in the city: in the lamp shops, in the windows of the mosques, in the tiles. You learn along the way what matters in colour combinations and take a piece of it home.
What guests highlight
Reviews often stress the creative freedom, the friendly guidance and the finished souvenir, in our own words.
Who is it for?
For couples, friends and families with older children, and as an indoor idea for rainy days. Fragile in your luggage: ask the provider how the lamp is packed safely.
In short
- About 2 hours according to the provider
- To see finished lamps beforehand: Grand Bazaar
More creative experiences in Istanbul
For even more colour: the glass painting workshop and the coffee workshop.
All experiences, tickets and tours are collected on our activities page.
– Amra
