On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Türkiye, the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation organized an exhibition called “XIX century Cultural Heritage of the Turkic World through the Yildiz Palace Photograph Collection” in Istanbul.
75 photographs from the Yıldız collection, which were taken during the Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II period and contain the cultural heritage of the Turkic world, have been chosen for the exhibition. It should be noted that the Yıldız collection is one of the richest photo archives in the world, consisting of 918 albums and 36,585 photographs.
Among the photographs depicting centuries-old architectural examples in the geographies stretching from Samarkand to Edirne, there are material and cultural monuments in the UNESCO World Heritage List from Samarkand, Bukhara, Hokand, Khiva, Shirvanshahs Palace in Baku, Kars Abu Manuchohr Mosque, the first mosque built in Anatolia, Khoja Ahmed Yasavi Tomb in Turkestan, monuments belonging to Istanbul, Konya, Ashgabat and other cities are in them.
In the official part of the event, the letter addressed to the opening of the exhibition by President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan was read out. In the letter, the large-scale activity of the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation in the direction of protecting the cultural and spiritual values of the Turkic people, introducing them to the world and passing on to future generations was highly appreciated. It was emphasized that the exhibition will contribute to the strengthening of fraternal relations between the Turkic states.
Speaking at the exhibition, President of the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Gunay Afandiyeva touched on the admirable development and rapid progress in all areas of life over the past century in Türkiye. Gunay Afandiyeva said that its numerous achievements, the difficulties and perseverance it has always demonstrated in the face of trials have led the state to be recognized as an influential and powerful country in the international arena. The president of the Foundation touched upon the existing fraternal relations of Türkiye with the sovereign Turkic Republics and drew attention to the fact that the country enjoys great authority in the Turkic World: “The successes of Türkiye, from the independent Turkic states, to the minority Turkic peoples, which have historically been separated from the Turkic geography for various reasons, make them happy, proud and united, inspiring a bright future in solidarity.”
Emphasizing the importance of the exhibition, Gunay Afandiyeva said: “This photo collection is a sign of the gentle spirit of Sultan Abdulhamid II, who wholeheartedly believed in the saving power of culture and art, and who was commemorated this year on the 105th anniversary of his death. This collection is the meeting of the 623-year-old prominent Ottoman Empire with the rapidly rising Republic of Türkiye in the modern era. It is the reception of the blessings of the past as we enter a new century.
This photo collection is an graceful look at the mysterious cities of the member and observer states of the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Hungary are a clear proof of the culture of urban planning developed since ancient times, a noble indicator. It is the discovery of the different characteristics of the architectural examples belonging to the Turkic world and at the same time the return of the cultural heritage to life.”
Addressing the event, Özgül Özkan Yavuz, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye said that the Foundation has been implementing important projects in priority areas since its inception. The deputy minister drew attention to the golden age of photography during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II and noted: “Yıldız Palace has a large collection of photographs reflecting the cultural heritage of different countries of the world. We, as the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, support the work carried out in the direction of the promotion and research of this archive.” Özgül Özkan Yavuz pointed out that awareness of the common cultural heritage of the Turkic states is extremely important and emphasized: “We highly appreciate the organization of events that showcase the culture and art of the Turkic peoples.”
Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, Deputy Chairman of the National Palaces Administration Adnan Gayhan said that the Yıldız photo collection is a source of knowledge about the ancient Ottoman Empire and the world as a whole, as well as a valuable treasure for the Turkic people and a cultural heritage of humanity. Adnan Gayhan emphasized the important role of the exhibition in the more detailed study of the Turkic-Islamic civilization, shared history, language, religion, cultural values and traditions that have existed for centuries.
Chief Advisor to the President of the Republic of Türkiye Fecir Alptekin, Secretary General of TURKPA Mehmet Süreyya Er, Deputy Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States Omer Kocaman, Deputy Secretary General of TURKSOY Bilal Çakıcı, Rector of Memar Sinan University of Türkiye Handan Inci Elçi, Ambassador of Kazakhstan Yerkebulan Sapiyev, Consul General of Azerbaijan in Istanbul Narmina Mustafayeva, Consul General of Kyrgyzstan in Istanbul Lira Sydykova, Head of the National Heritage Agency of Uzbekistan Bahodır Abdykarimov, Director of the Hungarian Cultural Center Gábor Fodor, representatives of the diaspora, public and media also participated in the event.
The book “Turkic cultural heritage in Ottoman archives” published by the International Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation was presented to the guests.
