Newsletters
One of Istanbul's most cherished cultural traditions, the Beyoglu Secondhand Book Festival (Beyoglu Sahaf Festivali), is preparing to welcome book lovers for its 15th anniversary.
Organized by the Beyoglu Municipality, the festival runs from Sept. 19–27 in the garden of the Old French Orphanage, a historic 19th-century building in the district.
Visitors can expect rare and antiquarian books, secondhand book auctions, literary talks, and live music throughout the nine-day event.
The festival kicks off with a talk titled "Cadde-i Kebir"—the Ottoman-era name for Istanbul's famous Istiklal Avenue.
This is followed by a live performance on the santur (a traditional Middle Eastern hammered dulcimer) before the official opening ceremony.
On Sept. 20, a talk explores "Old Galata," Istanbul's historic waterfront quarter, followed by a discussion on the fires that swept through 19th-century Beyoglu and the heritage that survived them
The mid-week lineup features leading figures from Türkiye's literary and cultural scene. IKSV director and head of the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, Gorgun Taner, and author Yekta Kopan debate the age-old question of "Buy or Read?" while writer Firat Senol explores the lasting mark Beyoglu has left on generations of authors.
In the following days, one talk explores what it means to be a "book archaeologist," while crime writers meet with readers to discuss the genre.
Another session turns to the senses, examining the city's olfactory culture, followed by an evening musical performance. A further talk shares stories from Beyoglu's historic apartment buildings.
The last day of the festival, Sept. 27, closes with "A Tanpinar in Narmanli Han," a talk by Sakine Korkmaz centered on celebrated Turkish novelist Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar, followed by a nostalgic set of vintage 45 rpm records spun by Murat Meric.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
