Skip to Main Content
logo

Archives in Turkey

This archive will explore the state and private archives in Turkey.

Ottoman Archives

The Ottoman Archives (officially known as Presidency of the Republic of Turkey Directorate of State Archives Ottoman Archives - BOA) is the major state repository of the Ottoman Empire’s. The archive contains documents are relating to the administration of the empire. The Ottoman archives are assumed to have created since the beginning of the establishment of the Ottoman state. The organization of the documents in modern archiving sense first started in 1846 with the establishment of Hazine-i Evrak [Treasury of Dcuments]. The building was established by the renowned architect Gaspare Fossatti between 1846-48 on the grounds of Bâb-ı Âli  [grand vezir’s offices] in Gülhane. 

In 2013 the Ottoman Archives were transferred from the historical building in Bâb-ı Âli in Gülhane to its new Ottoman Archives Complex building in Kağıthane district of Istanbul. On July 9, 2018, the General Directorate of State Archives was closed with the Decree Law No. 703. On July 16 2018, Devlet Arşivleri Başkanlığı [Directorate of State Archives] was established with the Presidential Decree number 11.  Click here to find out more about the Directorate of State Archives.

The archive is a major source for the researchers focusing on Ottoman history. The Ottoman Archives’ collections contains millions of documents on various topics concerning the Ottoman state such as;

  • Correspondence between the central and local institutions of the Ottoman State since its establishment until the foundation of the Republic;
  • Documents pertaining to the histories of nearly 40 countries established in the Ottoman lands, out of Turkey;
  • Documents concerning the political and commercial relations of the Ottoman State with foreign countries;
  • Legislative registers such as laws, regulations and statutes regarding the state administration;
  • Registers regarding the appointment, promotion and dismissal of state officials and registers of civil servants in some periods;
  • Land census registers, records of land use such as timar, zeamet and has;
  • Registers belonging to the foundations concerning the organization, accounting and appointment (conferral, board of trustees etc.) issues;

For more detailed information on the Ottoman Archives, check the Osmanlı Arşiv Rehberi (available in PDF format in Turkish). To log-in to the digital collection click here. 

To conduct research in the archive, researchers can either go to the Ottoman Archives building in Kağıthane district of Istanbul or conduct their research online. All researchers going to the archive must bring a valid ID card. All Turkish citizens can enter to the archive with the national identification card. Non-Turkish citizens must bring with them either their passport or residency permit.

For more details about research services at the Directorate of State Archives click here.

To have more information about the research experience read the Ottoman State Archives section in hazine.info.

Working Hours: Monday-Friday: 09.00-18.00 / Saturday: 09.00-17.00

Email: dab@devletarsivleri.gov.tr

Phone: +90 (212) 314 9000

Address: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Cumhurbaşkanlığı Devlet Arşivleri Başkanlığı, Osmanlı Arşivi Külliyesi, İmrahor Cad. Sadabad Mevkii Kağıthane/İSTANBUL

Location: View on Google Map