The 15th Beyoğlu Secondhand Booksellers Festival Opens Its Doors in a Historic Venue in Istanbul
Bringing book lovers together at the Historic Old French Orphanage, the festival features rare works, interviews, and nostalgic events, creating colorful scenes.
The 15th Beyoğlu Secondhand Booksellers Festival, organized by the Beyoğlu Municipality in the courtyard of the Historic Old French Orphanage, brings together enthusiasts of secondhand books, Ottoman-era publications, and antique items.
Rare Works in a Historic Venue
The festival, which has become a tradition in Istanbul's cultural and artistic life, hosts book lovers from various parts of the city in the courtyard of the Historic Old French Orphanage.
Stalls feature secondhand books alongside out-of-print old works, newspapers and magazines from the Ottoman period, and publications from the 1970s and 80s.
Rich Collections and Events
In addition to books, historical letters, maps, postcards, shellac records, and various antique items are presented to visitors' appreciation.
As part of the organization, various cultural events such as author talks, book signings, and acoustic music recitals are also held.
Impressions of a Student Attending in a Jersey
Elvan, a student who attended the festival wearing a green-and-red jersey to celebrate Amedspor's victory over Beşiktaş, stated that she had the opportunity to find the rare works and postcards she was looking for.
Elvan expressed that gathering all the secondhand booksellers in a single area provides great convenience for those searching for books.
Interest in Nostalgia and Analog Products
Stating that curiosity about retro and analog products continues in the age of digitalization, photographer Koray Tanrıverdi conveyed that young people show great interest in traditional commemorative photographs.
Tanrıverdi said that they have been reviving Istanbul memories for about 4 years by taking old-school photos with bellows cameras at such events.
Youth Orientation Towards Secondhand Bookseller Culture
Murat Uncu, Vice President of the Secondhand Booksellers Association, emphasized that the festival provides an opportunity to establish direct contact with readers and that the interest shown by young people in books is particularly gratifying.
Visitor Özge Dindar expressed that thanks to the event, she found the opportunity to discover some old books belonging to the Ottoman period and add them to her own collection.