Finding Aid

Descriptive Summary

Creator :Koç University Vehbi Koç Ankara Studies Research Center (VEKAM)
Title: Ankara Photograph, Postcard and Engraving Collection
Inventory No / Call Number:  0001-; LF01; ACF001-; LACF01-
Language: These materials contain writings in Turkish, Ottoman, English, French, German and Italian.
Date: 1800-1980 (Approximate period covered)
Physical Description:  20 boxes, 20 cases
Acquisition Information:  The collection began to be compiled in 1994 through donations and purchases and is still being extended.

Abstract

The collection contains engravings, colored and black and white photographs, postcards and photographic postcards that shine light on Ankara’s history from ancient times onwards. The engravings in the collection represent the first visual portrayals of the city, before the 1900s. The first photographs and postcards of the city begin appearing at the end of the 1800s. These photographs are important visual sources documenting the pre-republican era in Ankara. The greater part of the collection is formed of photographs and postcards showing the institutional structures, monuments, parks and gardens, land use and plans, streets and roads, as well as important faces and various segments of society including students, teachers, the people, professional groups, statesmen and bureaucrats.

Access Information

The collection is open to research.

Copyright and Usage

The materials in this collection may only be used for research and education purposes with appropriate sourcing. The intellectual rights of the materials in this collection are reserved under the Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works No. 5846. This law is applicable in relation to the reproduction, production or distribution in any sense by any third party individual or institution without the permission of Koç University VEKAM.

Cite As

[Title of Material]. (Date). Name of Collection, Inventory Number, VEKAM Library and Archive, Koç University.

Historical Information

Ankara is a region that carries the traces of many different civilizations from ancient times to the present day. The first important settlements in Ankara were in Phrygian times. The city then came under the dominance of the Lydians, Persians, Galatians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks, and the Ilkhanids. Important remains include the Ankara Castle, Temple of Augustus, Roman Baths, ancient theatre, and the Column of Julian. The Ahis, who made up the trading and artisanal class in the city at a time when trade was highly developed, also took over the administration. In the Ottoman era, Ankara was an important province of Anatolia. The mohair and leather trades and viniculture were important branches of industry supporting the economic life of the city. In 1892, the railway reached the city. At this time, orchard house culture also became a part of the social life of the city. The city center is largely located near the castle and its surroundings. A large fire in 1917 caused many neighborhoods to burn down. From 1919 onwards, Ankara played an active role in the National Struggle era; the Great National Assembly opened in Ankara and the city was declared the capital of the republic on October 13, 1923. The structural and cultural change that came with its new status made it a model for all the cities of Anatolia. City planning in the early republican era, exemplary architectural structures belonging to national architectural currents, institutions and organizations that took leading roles in modernization and development, and individuals, places and events at the forefront of social-cultural changes in lifestyle all left their stamp on Ankara’s urban history.

Arrangement of the Collection

The materials in the collection are divided into those with an educational theme, large-sized items and other Ankara themes.

Subjects

Ankara (Türkiye) — History.
Ankara (Türkiye) — Description and travel.
Photography — Türkiye — Ankara.
Ankara (Türkiye) — Pictorial works.

Related Materials

Ankara Immovable Cultural Property

Contents of Collection