Travelling / Tourism

The political realities of the day and the rapid development of modern transport allowed tourism to expand exponentially in the 19th century. Many Europeans now found themselves able to live out their fascination with the “Orient” and to travel to the fabled places they had so far only been able to visit in their imagination. Wealthy individuals in the Middle East and North Africa, meanwhile, travelled farther across the region and also started to venture into Europe. Mostly, though, travel was not only for pleasure and relaxation, as might be the case today. In fact, many travellers had specific aims as they set off – educational, scientific, commercial, financial, religious or political, or indeed all of these. Once in the region, the tourists of the day made sure to record what they saw and secure an array of impressive souvenirs to take back home, as evidence of the “exotic” worlds and cultures they had managed to discover. Many travellers published books or sold pictures of their journey, thus fuelling further interest in the “exotic lands of the East”.

Working NumberNameHolding MuseumDateMaterialsCurator Justification
TR2 098ConstantinopleIstanbul Archaeological Museums1883PaperConstantinople was undoubtedly the foremost destination for European travellers to the region. With its multicultural, diverse population, its historic sites, the hustle and bustle of its markets and the unparalleled opportunities to network, the city compelled and fascinated those who visited. Many just passed through, but some – particularly artists and writers – lingered, or even stayed on for good.
TR2 159Pera Palace HotelIstanbul University, Nadir Eserler Kütüphanesi (Rare Books Library)1892PhotographPera Palace Hotel was built in 1892 for the purposes of hosting passengers arriving on the Orient Express and was named after the part of Istanbul in which it is located. Alexander Vallaury, a French-Ottoman architect living in the city, designed the hotel in a blend of neoclassical, art nouveau and Oriental styles.
TR2 141The Train Station from AnatoliaIstanbul University, Nadir Eserler Kütüphanesi (Rare Books Library)Late 19th centuryPhotographAway from the capital Istanbul, the gradual expansion of the Ottoman railway network, particularly during the period of ‘Abd al-Hamid II (Abdülhamid II) allowed travellers easier access to more far-flung regions of the Empire. The first railway in Anatolia was built between İzmir and Aydın in 1860 by a British company.
RO 037Postcards showing Romanian tourists in EgyptNational Museum of Romanian HistoryBeginning of the 20th centuryThis postcard shows a group of Romanian tourists in Egypt. Up to the late 19th century, the African continent was little known in Romania, but by the turn of the 19th century, Egypt (and other African countries) became a popular holiday destination for wealthy Romanians.
ET1 016Memorial of Sultan Husayn Kamil’s visit to the Islamic Arts MuseumBibliotheca Alexandrina27 April 1916Among the most popular tourist attractions in Egypt since the later 19th century is undoubtedly the Islamic Art Museum in Cairo. First opened on 28 December 1903, it is the largest Islamic art museum in the world, with artefacts from India, China, the Arab Peninsula, the Levant, Egypt, North Africa and al-Andalus (Andalucía). One of its most important visitors was Sultan Husayn Kamil of Egypt who visited in 1916.
FR 069Hammam-el-Lif, Tunis. Seaside resorts and thermal springs National Library of France 1885This poster, dated 1885, portrays Hammam-el-Lif which is a coastal town near Tunis. Known for its spectacular location and thermal mountain springs, wealthy tourists from all over Europe were attracted to it, particularly after the French occupation of Tunisia.
SP 085Antonio del Valle y Serrano, Marquis of Villa-HuertaCerralbo Museum1889Paper; albumen printAntonio del Valle y Serrano, marquis of Villa-Huerta, was one of the many European aristocrats who visited the “Orient” in the later 19th century to pursue his passion for galleries, museums, cultural sites, antiquities and artefacts, many of which he purchased along the way to add to the family’s collections once back in Madrid.
SP 086Portrait of the Marquess of Cerralbo in a Turkish GarmentCerralbo Museum1889Paper; albumen printThe Spanish Cerralbo family was among the many privileged European families that set off to discover the “Orient” during the 19th century. The Marquis of Cerralbo visited Istanbul with his family in 1889, collecting a fascinating array of folkloristic souvenirs. In line with “Orientalist” taste at the time, this portrait shows the wife of the Marquis wearing an Ottoman costume brought back from their travels.
SP 102Waistcoat (Yelek)Cerralbo Museum19th centuryHand-embroidered velvetThe Cerralbo family of Spain was among the many privileged families of Europe that set off to discover the “Orient” during the 19th century. The Marquis of Cerralbo visited Istanbul with his family in 1889, collecting a fascinating array of folkloristic souvenirs, including this waistcoat, today on show at Museum Cerralbo in Madrid.
SP 096PurseCerralbo MuseumLate 19th centuryBeadworkThe Cerralbo family of Spain was among the many privileged European families that set off to discover the “Orient” during the 19th century. The Marquis of Cerralbo visited Istanbul with his family in 1889, collecting a fascinating array of folkloristic souvenirs, including this purse, today on show at Museum Cerralbo in Madrid.
SP 100Cup stand (zarf)Cerralbo MuseumLate 19th centurySilverThe Cerralbo family of Spain was among the many privileged European families that set off to discover the “Orient” during the 19th century. The Marquis of Cerralbo visited Istanbul with his family in 1889, collecting a fascinating array of folkloristic and artistic souvenirs, including this cup stand. Together with a porcelain cup, the stand was used for drinking Turkish coffee, a much loved pastime.
LB 021The Robert Muawad Private Museum1911Built in the neo-Gothic style in 1911, the Robert Mouawad Private Museum in Beirut presents the eclectic collections of its former owner, Henri Philippe Pharaoun. Pharaoun, who was an intrepid traveller both in the region and beyond, collected everything from Byzantine, Roman and Islamic to Chinese art.
TR2 091Constantinople et le Bosphore de ThraceIstanbul Archaeological Museums1841PaperThe introduction of steamships and trains in the 19th century promised a safer and more reliable travel experience. In its wake, travellers ventured ever farther in their quest for knowledge and enlightenment, business opportunities and new discoveries. On their return, many published books about their journeys and experiences, providing valuable information about countries, cultures and peoples in the process.
TR2 096Description de l'Arménie la PerseIstanbul Archaeological Museums1842–1845PaperThe introduction of steamships and trains in the 19th century promised a safer and more reliable travel experience. In its wake, travellers ventured ever farther in their quest for knowledge and enlightenment, business opportunities and new discoveries. On their return, many published books about their journeys and experiences, providing valuable information about countries, cultures and peoples in the process.
TR2 088Description de L'Egypte: Antiquités PlanchesIstanbul Archaeological Museums1809–1829PaperThe seismic political developments of the 19th century helped to spark far-reaching public interest in Europe with regard to the Middle East and North Africa. Description de l’Égypte comprised a series of volumes, appearing first in 1809 and continuing until the final volume was published in 1829. The work contained a comprehensive scientific description of ancient and modern Egypt as well as important facts relating to its natural history.
LB 059Beaufort Castle12th centuryThe romantic ruins of the medieval-period Beaufort Castle in the Nabatieh region of southern Lebanon has attracted consistent streams of tourists over the centuries, not least due to its Crusader connections. The fortress has survived earthquakes as well as warfare.