The Rami Barracks opened its doors as a library at the beginning of January. The library, which has garnered massive attention since its opening, has a history of 250 years. While citizens show great interest, especially in youth and children's libraries and reading halls, they often take souvenir photos in the library garden. Open 24 hours a day, the library offers a vast inventory of more than 2 million books.
The former barracks, located in Istanbul, Türkiye, is a historic military facility that played an important role in the city's history. The barracks were built in the late 19th century during the Ottoman Empire and have been used by various military units over the years.
They were originally built in 1891 by the Ottoman Empire to house the troops of the 3rd Army, the empire's largest field army. The barracks were named after the Rami neighborhood in which they were located. The barracks were designed in a traditional Ottoman style, with large courtyards, high walls and ornate gates.
During World War I, the barracks were used to house prisoners of war and after the war, they were used by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). In the 1920s and 1930s, the barracks were used to train military officers and soldiers and were also used as storage facilities for weapons and ammunition. Also during World War II, the building served as a prison for German and Italian prisoners of war. After the war, it was a base for the United Nations peacekeeping forces during the Korean War.
In the 1960s, the barracks were used as a training facility for the Turkish Armed Forces and were also used as a base for the U.N. peacekeeping forces during the Cyprus conflict. The barracks continued to be used by the Turkish Armed Forces until the 1990s when they were decommissioned and turned over to the Istanbul Municipality.
The Rami Library General Coordinator Osman Zorlu spoke to Daily Sabah about the restoration process and general structure of the library.
“The Rami Library is a 250-year-old building. Sultan Mahmud II had these barracks built in 1827 for the training and needs of the newly formed army. Until the 1970s, Rami was used as barracks. But later on, it continued to be used as a wholesale dry food marketplace," he said.
"When Istanbul was declared the European Capital of Culture in 2010, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave the order to transform the Rami Barracks into a library. The first restoration work started in 2014. The last part was completed on Jan. 13, after nearly 17 months of work.” he added.
While the library appeals to all age groups, it also makes a name for itself with the various opportunities it provides to its visitors. With a seating capacity of 4,200 people, the complex is more than a library but a cultural meeting place.
“The library was designed to reflect the ceaseless life cycle. The library activities, which start with the 0-3-year-old baby group, appeal to primary and secondary school students while also high school, university students and academicians can find a suitable activity for themselves. It also houses specialized libraries and the Book Hospital, where historical manuscripts are restored," he said.
"With its two exhibition halls and museums, three seminar halls, a 51,000-square-meter (548,960-square-foot) national garden with six event auditoriums within the garden, it brings together the understanding of librarianship, art and culture, appealing to all walks of life. In addition, we provide guests with soup, tea and cake twice daily, and unlimited internet. In addition, we provide free test books to students who are studying hard for university entrance exams,” he added.
“While the library is among the top three in the world with its 110,000 square meters of usage area and a seating capacity of 4,200 people, it is the most extensive library in the world with its 51,000-square-meter indoor garden. The library took its present form after undergoing restoration and reconstruction stages made entirely of natural materials from the architecture of the first period," he said.
Due to this feature, it is the first library in Türkiye to be certified a 'biosphere,' a global ecological system integrating all living beings,” he also emphasized.
Zorlu pointed out that it is also Türkiye's first in terms of focusing on Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Türkiye, with more than 20,000 archives, offering detailed information about the great leader.
“A total of 22,000 books about Atatürk, which have been published so far, are in the library under the title of Atatürk Library. The number of books will reach 30,000 soon, and with this feature, Türkiye's largest Atatürk library is located in the Rami Library with an area of approximately 2,000 square meters,” he elaborated.
