OPEN DOOR ARCHITECTURE FESTIVAL OCTOBER 20, 2025

Zeyrek Çinili Hamam
Time: 11:00

Located in Zeyrek, where the essence of ancient urban life is felt, this bathhouse was commissioned by Mimar Sinan during the reign of Kanuni Sultan Süleyman, the symbol of the Ottoman rise, for the admiral Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha. It is one of the iconic structures of the area. Despite being a hidden cultural treasure for five hundred years, Zeyrek Çinili Hamam remained buried in the dark pages of history for a long time. After thirteen years of meticulous restoration, it reopened to Istanbul residents in September 2023. Today, Zeyrek Çinili Hamam not only contributes to the city's life as an architectural masterpiece but also paves the way for new research through the archaeological and historical findings revealed during its restoration, shedding light on our past.

İstanbul Manifaturacılar Çarşısı
Time: 14:00

Narrated by Sunay Paşaoğlu…

İstanbul Manifaturacılar Çarşısı, or İMÇ for short, is a market located between Bozdoğan Kemeri and Unkapanı on Atatürk Boulevard, consisting of 1,117 shops. Designed by Doğan Tekeli, Sami Sisa, and Metin Hepgüler, the market is considered one of the significant works of modern Turkish architecture. Initially serving floorers and haberdashers, it transformed into a record store market in the 1980s. Within the market, panels by eight contemporary Turkish artists symbolizing Istanbul and trade make it akin to an open-air museum.

From Zeyrek to Laleli: Tracing Byzantine Heritage
Time: 14:30

Narrated by Dimitri Daravanoğlu…

Accompanied by Dimitri Daravanoğlu, participants will explore Byzantine heritage along the route including Molla Zeyrek Mosque / Christ Pantokrator Monastery, Şeyh Süleyman Mosque / A Roman Pagan Tomb, Vefa Kilise Mosque / Agios Theodoros Church, Valens Aqueduct, Kız Taşı / Markianos Column, ruins of Saint Polyeuctus Church, Kalenderhane, Theodosius Forum ruins, and Bodrum Mesih Paşa Mosque, observing the sites from outside.

İstanbul Bookbinding Institute
Time: 15:00

The İstanbul Bookbinding Institute (İME), established under the Borusan Kocabıyık Foundation (BKV), has opened its doors. The foundation operates with the understanding that economic, social, and cultural development is only possible through education and art. Accordingly, the institute aims to support traditional Turkish bookbinding art by offering training for students and bookbinders, producing contemporary bookbinding works using inherited techniques, materials, and craftsmanship.

Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar Literature Museum Library
Time: 16:00

The Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar Literature Museum Library, named after the Turkish novelist, short story writer, and poet Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, is a literary museum and archive in Istanbul. Established by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, it opened to visitors on November 12, 2011. The library operates in the Alay Köşkü, located on the corner tower of the city walls surrounding Topkapı Palace, to the left of the Gülhane Park entrance on the Peninsula. Built in 1810 by Sultan Mahmud II in the Empire style, the upper floor houses a throne room, two salons, and three rooms, while the lower floor includes two rooms and a large hall. After the construction of Dolmabahçe Palace, Alay Köşkü’s function was transferred to the Pink Pavilion. From the 1910s, it became the center of the Fine Arts Union. On July 18, 1928, at 15:00, contemporary literary figures gathered here to establish the literature branch of the union. Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar was elected a member on September 19, 1929, and literary meetings continued here through the 1920s and 1930s, attended by prominent writers of the period, as recorded in newspapers and journals of the time.