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Daily Sabah, Turkey
May 17 2014
OTTOMAN MANSION TURNS INTO OTTOMAN PAVILLION
Displaying spectacular design, the Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar Museum Library
offers students and bookworms a place to read or study away from the
bustle of the city
Nur Ã-zdil
Unfortunately, most libraries in Turkey are considered places that
people pass by and only enter if absolutely necessary. The lack of
aesthetic design, uncomfortable study rooms and the insufficient
number of updated resources keep Turkey's libraries from becoming
attractions. While alluring libraries are the first stop for culture
lovers abroad, bookworm foreign tourists have little choice but from a
few wellconditioned libraries in Istanbul. One of them is the Atatürk
Library located in Taksim Square. The Culture and Tourism Ministry
launched a new project to breathe life into obsolete places such as
museums and libraries. As part of the project, a new library-museum
was recently opened to the public. The concept of the library-museum
is to increase the appeal of Turkish literature as an alternative
space to traditional libraries.
The Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar Literature Museum Library is the fourth
museumlibrary in Turkey. There are a total of five museum-libraries in
different regions of the country, all named after beloved Turkish
authors. The museum was constructed in a two-story alay köÅ?kü
(procession kiosk), an Ottoman-era building located next to Gülhane
Park. Previously lying in ruins, the building was turned into a museum
with a modern library where one could easily spend the whole day
surrounded by books. Constructed from wood in the 16th century, the
procession kiosk went to wrack during a fire. Sultan Mahmud II asked
Armenian architect Kirkor Amira Balyan to rebuild it. The building
served as a local spot where the sultan's weddings took place, foreign
ambassadors were welcomed, and Ottoman emperors saluted the
janissaries. The kiosk was transformed into a telegraph office and
renovated under the Culture and Tourism Ministry in 2007. Displaying
evidence of spectacular design, the Ahmet Hamdi Tanrıpınar Museum
Library offers students and bookworms the opportunity to read or study
away from the bother of city noise. The library includes more than
1,000 authors and 8,000 pieces of work along with special collections
of Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, Yahya Kemal, Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan
Pamuk and celebrated Ottoman poet Nedim.
The building was restored maintaining its original form and aesthetic,
and its interior was well furnished to ensure a more attractive
atmosphere. Featuring more than 100 personal belongings of 33 renowned
Turkish authors, the library hosts the translations of notable works
of Turkish literature.
The Coffeehouse of Authors
The ground floor serves as a coffeehouse. Visitors may take a break
there and have a look at a number of different periodical magazines.
There is also a bookshop offering a 20 percent discount on books
published by the Culture and Tourism Ministry. The museum-library
seeks to gather authors, publishers and readers at a series of
cultural and literature events. The events program is available on the
official Facebook page.
http://www.dailysabah.com/life/2014/05/17/ottoman-mansion-turns-into-ottoman-pavillion
May 17 2014
OTTOMAN MANSION TURNS INTO OTTOMAN PAVILLION
Displaying spectacular design, the Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar Museum Library
offers students and bookworms a place to read or study away from the
bustle of the city
Nur Ã-zdil
Unfortunately, most libraries in Turkey are considered places that
people pass by and only enter if absolutely necessary. The lack of
aesthetic design, uncomfortable study rooms and the insufficient
number of updated resources keep Turkey's libraries from becoming
attractions. While alluring libraries are the first stop for culture
lovers abroad, bookworm foreign tourists have little choice but from a
few wellconditioned libraries in Istanbul. One of them is the Atatürk
Library located in Taksim Square. The Culture and Tourism Ministry
launched a new project to breathe life into obsolete places such as
museums and libraries. As part of the project, a new library-museum
was recently opened to the public. The concept of the library-museum
is to increase the appeal of Turkish literature as an alternative
space to traditional libraries.
The Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar Literature Museum Library is the fourth
museumlibrary in Turkey. There are a total of five museum-libraries in
different regions of the country, all named after beloved Turkish
authors. The museum was constructed in a two-story alay köÅ?kü
(procession kiosk), an Ottoman-era building located next to Gülhane
Park. Previously lying in ruins, the building was turned into a museum
with a modern library where one could easily spend the whole day
surrounded by books. Constructed from wood in the 16th century, the
procession kiosk went to wrack during a fire. Sultan Mahmud II asked
Armenian architect Kirkor Amira Balyan to rebuild it. The building
served as a local spot where the sultan's weddings took place, foreign
ambassadors were welcomed, and Ottoman emperors saluted the
janissaries. The kiosk was transformed into a telegraph office and
renovated under the Culture and Tourism Ministry in 2007. Displaying
evidence of spectacular design, the Ahmet Hamdi Tanrıpınar Museum
Library offers students and bookworms the opportunity to read or study
away from the bother of city noise. The library includes more than
1,000 authors and 8,000 pieces of work along with special collections
of Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, Yahya Kemal, Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan
Pamuk and celebrated Ottoman poet Nedim.
The building was restored maintaining its original form and aesthetic,
and its interior was well furnished to ensure a more attractive
atmosphere. Featuring more than 100 personal belongings of 33 renowned
Turkish authors, the library hosts the translations of notable works
of Turkish literature.
The Coffeehouse of Authors
The ground floor serves as a coffeehouse. Visitors may take a break
there and have a look at a number of different periodical magazines.
There is also a bookshop offering a 20 percent discount on books
published by the Culture and Tourism Ministry. The museum-library
seeks to gather authors, publishers and readers at a series of
cultural and literature events. The events program is available on the
official Facebook page.
http://www.dailysabah.com/life/2014/05/17/ottoman-mansion-turns-into-ottoman-pavillion