Fatih Municipality has reopened a historic chapter of Istanbul’s publishing world with the launch of “Cağaloğlu Booksellers’ Street,” a project that restores a cultural landmark defined with the country’s literary and journalistic life.
The pedestrian-friendly street, created by renovating Küçük and Şengül Hamamı streets while preserving their historic architecture, brings together around a dozen bookstores and publishing houses.
The municipality says the street will not only host book sales but also provide a venue for author talks, signings and cultural gatherings, aiming to reestablish Cağaloğlu as a meeting point for readers and the industry.
At the opening ceremony, İskender Pala, deputy chair of the Presidential Council for Culture and Arts Policies, said the return of a dedicated booksellers’ street filled a cultural void.
He noted that Cağaloğlu had long been a cradle of intellectual life and said the renewed space should once again function as “an intellectual ground for İstanbul,” encouraging work rooted in “goodness, beauty and truth.”
Istanbul Deputy Governor Ünal Kılıçarslan, who said he had frequented Cağaloğlu’s bookshops even before moving to the city, welcomed the revival after many shops had disappeared in recent years.
Istanbul Provincial Education Director Murat Mücahit Yentür underlined the potential impact on the city’s 3 million students, calling the street small in size but “large in function.”
Istanbul Culture and Tourism Director Hüseyin Keskin praised Fatih Municipality’s approach to cultural projects and emphasized the symbolic weight of restoring Cağaloğlu’s publishing presence. “Perhaps there are only 12 shops, but the spirit of the work is much greater,” he said.
Fatih Mayor Ergün Turan said the plan had been a long-standing wish for many in the sector and that the president had personally encouraged the project. He noted that ground-floor spaces in the area had been allocated exclusively to booksellers to ensure the street maintains its character.
Calling the project one of the most meaningful achievements of his tenure, Turan said he hoped the initiative would expand over time.
