The 4th Üsküdar Sahaf Festival, a second-hand book fair, began in Istanbul's Üsküdar district Thursday.

Some 73 "sahaf," second-hand bookseller in English, from across the city are participating in the festival, which will continue until Oct. 15.

Speaking at the inauguration of the festival, Üsküdar Mayor Hilmi Türkmen emphasized the importance of writing as a way of transferring the present to the future.

"Despite technological advancements, people have not stopped writing. Writing is a way of telling and reminding future generations while reading is a divine order," he said. He added that visitors can find many precious books, some dating to the 17th century, at the fair.

"The smell of old books will mix with that of the Bosporus. We invite resident of Istanbul, especially the youth, to come and visit the fair," he said.