The Spirit of Troy at the Colosseum: 221 Artefacts on the World Stage of History

Troy, the legendary city of the ancient world, will be showcased at the Colosseum, a landmark visited by millions each year. The ancient city of Troy, immortalised in Homer’s Iliad and regarded as one of the most significant symbols of human heritage, with its layered history spanning millennia and artefacts reflecting the Trojan legend, will be transported to Rome under internationally recognised conservation standards.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy remarked on the exhibition, set to open for visitors on 11 June: “We are bringing Troy to the Colosseum, one of the world’s foremost landmarks of international tourism!”

The exhibition will feature a total of 221 artefacts from 19 museums across Türkiye, along with a replica of the Trojan Horse.

A total of 99 artefacts from the Troy Museum will be featured in the exhibition, alongside 50 that will debut.

MONTHS OF PREPERATION: SİX LABORATORIES OPERATING UNDER INERNATIONAL STANDARDS

Preparations for the exhibition to be held at the Colosseum began in December 2025. Expert restorers working within six Regional Restoration and Conservation Laboratory Directorates across Türkiye were involved in the process.
International Assurance: Insurance and State Guarantee

The artefacts included in the exhibition are being handled in line with ICOM’s international lending standards.

The artefacts are insured under an ‘all-risk, nail-to-nail’ art insurance policy, while a state guarantee is provided by the host country. The transportation process is carried out by companies holding internationally certified qualifications.

THE STORY OF TROY TO BE TOLD IN FULL

Designed to encompass the history of Anatolia in the period immediately preceding the Trojan War, the exhibition features artefacts dating back to the 3rd millennium BC and extending to the end of the Roman period.

Scenes from the Trojan War and depictions of Aeneas’s arrival in Italy, regarded as Rome’s founding myth, are among the exhibition’s most striking features.

The artefacts were curated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye to express the Trojan narrative within a holistic framework.

MORE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS TO FOLLOW

Following the “Taş Tepeler” (Stone Mounds) exhibition currently underway in Berlin, further exhibitions are scheduled for Denmark, the United Kingdom, Italy, and the United States in late 2026 and 2027.”

While a memorandum of understanding has been signed with Japan, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye is currently conducting discussions with China and Austria.