Topkapı Palace Library to host academics

ANKARA

The Manuscripts Library at Topkapı Palace is home to thousands of rare works. The academics will exchange information about the library.

The Culture and Tourism Ministry is preparing to host two different committees of academics and officials from Asia and Europe at the Topkapı Palace Manuscripts Library.

According to a written statement by the ministry, between May 14 and 17, a committee of 16 officials from Paris Tokyo, Astana, Tehran, Moscow, Madrid, Hague and Athens will be hosted. Academics and top officials from Sorbonne and Versailles universities, the Russian State Library Center of Eastern Literature and Kazakhstan Seyfullin Library will be among the group members.

A committee of five people from the Serbian Culture and Information Ministry will be hosted between May 21 and 23.

The committee will visit the Topkapı Palace Manuscripts Library, be informed about its history and operation and exchange information with their colleagues. Then the committees will visit the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, Basilica Cistern, the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul Archaeology Museum and the Hagia Sophia Museum.

With such organizations, the ministry aims to raise awareness on the museum and promote
its scientific studies abroad. The organization is believed to create grounds to begin special projects.

The Manuscripts Library at Topkapı Palace is home to 21,438 works. A total of 18,622 of them are manuscripts, while 2,816 of them are rare books. The works contain many miniature works, as well as others that relate facets of human history.