Istanbul Research Institute

Istanbul Research Institute, research body that, “aims to unearth Istanbul’s history, cultural structure and human profile through the Byzantine, Ottoman and Republican periods by following the traces of civilization which spread from the city’s center to its surroundings. The Institute develops and supports projects that feed this purpose and works to share the results of these efforts through national and international events with related institutions and the public, and through a rich publication series.” It began its activities on March 1, 2007, as part of the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation, and was the second major phase of a wide-ranging arts and cultural project that began with the opening of the Pera Museum in 2005.

The institute is located in Tepebaşı in the old Rosolimo Apartment built by the Italian architect Guglielmo Semprini towards the end of the nineteenth century. The ground floor is used as a gallery for exhibitions highlighting the institute’s projects. The Atatürk and the Republican Studies section includes the institute’s main library, containing relevant academic publications, as well as the Istanbul Library and a reference section for the general reader. The Ottoman Studies Section contains a library of modern Ottoman research, as well as the Şevket Rado Manuscript Library, which is made up of almost 1,000 manuscripts from the Şevket Rado collection. The manuscripts have been transferred to a digital format to prevent deterioration and facilitate access for researchers. The Byzantine Studies Section holds a library of contemporary Byzantine research, as well as the Semavi Eyice Library, where researchers have access to rare editions and over 30,000 periodicals, offprints, numerous archive materials belonging to Professor Semavi Eyice. In addition to books on Byzantine art and history, the Semavi Eyice Library also holds travelogues and archaeological/art publications relating to various periods of Islamic, Turkish and Ottoman history, art, architecture and literature.

The Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation Photograph Collection, collated by Suna Kıraç and İnan Kıraç over many years, contains over 120,000 old photographs of Istanbul from before and after the establishment of the Republic. One of most valuable parts of the institute’s archive, this collection also includes engravings, maps, musical scores and numerous newspaper clippings relating to Istanbul’s cultural heritage.

Since 2012, the institute has published the Annual of Istanbul Studies, which features unique studies on different aspects of the city’s historical, archaeological and cultural identity. Other books are also published as part of the Symposium Series, Classical Works Series, Special Series and Istanbul Studies Series, which focuses on doctoral theses about Istanbul.