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HISTORIC SEHREMANETI TO BECOME A PUBLIC LIBRARY
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Aug 15 2013
15 August 2013 /BURCU HİLAL, İSTANBUL
When Greek troops first arrived in the Aegean city of İzmir in
1919 during the Turkish War of Independence, Turkish intellectuals,
including famous novelist Halide Edip Adıvar, protested the invasion
and gave heated speeches about it.
The building where they gave those speeches is now being turned into
a public library.
The Kadıkoy Municipality is restoring the historic Şehremaneti, a
century-old building. The Şehremaneti was used as a municipal building
for years, and the municipality is now transforming it into a public
library to be called the Kadıkoy History, Literature and Arts Library.
Its collection will bring together important literary and historical
works as well as art by prominent artists. The library will also host
cultural events.
The Şehremaneti building has witnessed many important social and
political events. Turkish intellectuals met there to discuss the
national struggle when İstanbul was under Allied occupation, between
1918 and 1923.
Built in 1912, the Şehremaneti served as a municipal building and
exhibition hall in İstanbul's Kadıkoy district for many years. Kadıkoy
Mayor Selami Ozturk has called on writers, scientists and academics
to donate their personal libraries to the municipality for inclusion
in the new public library. The decision to turn the Şehremaneti into a
public library was made in 2010, and plans for the restoration of its
interior were drawn up in 2011. Nearly one month ago the restoration
of the building was officially launched.
The restored building is expected to be open to the public in January
2014. Ozturk says: "The opening of the library to the public doesn't
mean all the books and art collections will be there in the library.
The municipality will continue to collect books and other documents
even after the opening of the library. This is an ongoing process.
Things generally work this way in all world libraries."
The mayor said the municipality is collecting documents, letters,
photographs and manuscripts of dead and living writers, poets and
artists. "It [the Şehremaneti] will become a living space. Scientific
meetings, special seminars on history and art and various conferences
will be organized in the building. Exhibitions of ephemera will be
held several times a year. The Şehremaneti project is being run by
professors İlber Ortaylı and Murat Katoğlu.
A 100-year historic building
The Şehremaneti was built by an Armenian architect, Yetvart Terziyan,
between 1912 and 1914. The building is an important example of Turkey's
First National Architecture style. However, the building is better
known for its association with major historical events instead than
for its architecture.
When Greek troops occupied İzmir on May 22, 1919, prominent nationalist
figures like Huseyin Suat, Ahmet Kemal, Fahrettin Hayri, Munevver Saime
and Adıvar addressed crowds gathered in front of the Şehremaneti to
protest the Greek invasion.
In another major event, supporters of the "Cumhuriyet Halk Fırkası"
(the Republican People's Party, or CHP) and the "Serbest Halk Fırkası"
(Liberal People's Party) fought in front of the building on the day
in 1908 when the first modern municipal elections were held in Turkey.
The historic building, which underwent a restoration project in 1995,
was later used as the Kadıkoy Governor's Office and Kadıkoy municipal
headquarters. After the Kadıkoy Municipality moved its offices to
a new building in Soğutluceşme, the Şehremaneti was used as a space
for municipal meetings and exhibitions.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-323573-historic-sehremaneti-to-become-a-public-library.html
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Aug 15 2013
15 August 2013 /BURCU HİLAL, İSTANBUL
When Greek troops first arrived in the Aegean city of İzmir in
1919 during the Turkish War of Independence, Turkish intellectuals,
including famous novelist Halide Edip Adıvar, protested the invasion
and gave heated speeches about it.
The building where they gave those speeches is now being turned into
a public library.
The Kadıkoy Municipality is restoring the historic Şehremaneti, a
century-old building. The Şehremaneti was used as a municipal building
for years, and the municipality is now transforming it into a public
library to be called the Kadıkoy History, Literature and Arts Library.
Its collection will bring together important literary and historical
works as well as art by prominent artists. The library will also host
cultural events.
The Şehremaneti building has witnessed many important social and
political events. Turkish intellectuals met there to discuss the
national struggle when İstanbul was under Allied occupation, between
1918 and 1923.
Built in 1912, the Şehremaneti served as a municipal building and
exhibition hall in İstanbul's Kadıkoy district for many years. Kadıkoy
Mayor Selami Ozturk has called on writers, scientists and academics
to donate their personal libraries to the municipality for inclusion
in the new public library. The decision to turn the Şehremaneti into a
public library was made in 2010, and plans for the restoration of its
interior were drawn up in 2011. Nearly one month ago the restoration
of the building was officially launched.
The restored building is expected to be open to the public in January
2014. Ozturk says: "The opening of the library to the public doesn't
mean all the books and art collections will be there in the library.
The municipality will continue to collect books and other documents
even after the opening of the library. This is an ongoing process.
Things generally work this way in all world libraries."
The mayor said the municipality is collecting documents, letters,
photographs and manuscripts of dead and living writers, poets and
artists. "It [the Şehremaneti] will become a living space. Scientific
meetings, special seminars on history and art and various conferences
will be organized in the building. Exhibitions of ephemera will be
held several times a year. The Şehremaneti project is being run by
professors İlber Ortaylı and Murat Katoğlu.
A 100-year historic building
The Şehremaneti was built by an Armenian architect, Yetvart Terziyan,
between 1912 and 1914. The building is an important example of Turkey's
First National Architecture style. However, the building is better
known for its association with major historical events instead than
for its architecture.
When Greek troops occupied İzmir on May 22, 1919, prominent nationalist
figures like Huseyin Suat, Ahmet Kemal, Fahrettin Hayri, Munevver Saime
and Adıvar addressed crowds gathered in front of the Şehremaneti to
protest the Greek invasion.
In another major event, supporters of the "Cumhuriyet Halk Fırkası"
(the Republican People's Party, or CHP) and the "Serbest Halk Fırkası"
(Liberal People's Party) fought in front of the building on the day
in 1908 when the first modern municipal elections were held in Turkey.
The historic building, which underwent a restoration project in 1995,
was later used as the Kadıkoy Governor's Office and Kadıkoy municipal
headquarters. After the Kadıkoy Municipality moved its offices to
a new building in Soğutluceşme, the Şehremaneti was used as a space
for municipal meetings and exhibitions.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-323573-historic-sehremaneti-to-become-a-public-library.html