The Library with its collection of rare manuscripts is located in the stone building belonging to our Foundation at Orfeos 44, Rhodes Old Town. The building was designed and built as a library by Hafız Ahmed Agha in 1793 next to the Rhodes Süleymaniye Mosque. The mini complex housing the library is a common cultural heritage, bearing the architectural features of the Rhodes Old Town, which has a colorful multicultural history, and the 18th century Ottoman architecture. In addition to being one of the most important and interesting remnants from the Ottoman-era, the library and manuscript collection are also unique elements of the cultural richness of today's Rhodes.
Hafız Ahmed Agha Library, Rhodes
Hafız Ahmed Agha Library, Reading Room
The library has 1265 manuscripts, 806 of which bear the original seal of Hafız Ahmed Agha. Of the 828 manuscripts of Hafız Ahmed Agha’s original 1793 collection these 806 are still in the library today.
Apart from the original 1793 collection, 459 manuscripts have been donated to our library through members of the founder’s family or others or transferred from other Ottoman collections in Rhodes. Together with printed books, the library has an inventory of over 2000 manuscripts and books.
The academic interest in the manuscript collection of Hafız Ahmed Agha Library collection is intensifying. In order to respond to the interest of scientists from all over the world and to bring together the collection with academics and manuscript enthusiasts, our Foundation has initiated a project that includes digitizing the entire inventory of the collection and creating an online accessible library. Our digital library and advanced manuscripts catalogue www.hafizahmedaga.com will be constructed and made available, open access, with the contributions of institutions that are experts in Near Eastern languages, library digitization and cataloguing.
The rare books and manuscripts expert librarian Zeynep Erol Pehlivan, a graduate from Marmara University, Department of Theology with a Master's degree in Islamic Law, is the Foundation’s library advisor.
