Changes After Construction
The historical structure, currently used as the Millet Manuscript Library, was commissioned in 1700 by Feyzullah Efendi, one of the Sheikh al-Islams of the Sultan Ahmed II period.
The building, which was in a ruinous state in the early 20th century, underwent repair in 1916 through the initiative of the Association of Lovers of Istanbul (İstanbul Muhipleri Cemiyeti) and the efforts of the Minister of Foundations, Sheikh al-Islam Mustafa Hayri Efendi.
Following the repairs, it began serving as a library with the book donations of Ali Emiri Efendi, one of the prominent researchers of the late Ottoman period.
The restoration of the structure, which sustained serious damage during the 1999 Marmara Earthquake, was completed at the end of 2006, and the building was reopened for service at the beginning of 2007.
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It is also referred to as the Feyziye Madrasa.
It has a layout consisting of a masjid-classroom, a library, and madrasa cells arranged around a square-planned courtyard.
Possessing one of Turkey's most significant archives, the library hosts the unique manuscript of the Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk, the first dictionary of the Turkish language.
Ali Emiri Efendi, who discovered this momentous work, later served as the Library Director here and contributed over 16,000 rare works, including 46 Imperial Firmans, to the library's collection.
