Reşad Ekrem Koçu’s Istanbul Encyclopedia Archive Now Digitally Accessible

The archive of Reşad Ekrem Koçu’s celebrated yet unfinished Istanbul Encyclopedia, a monumental work detailing Istanbul’s unique history and culture, is now accessible online through the collaborative efforts of SALT and Kadir Has University.

Available on the newly launched platform istanbulansiklopedisi.org, the archive offers an invaluable digital resource for exploring Koçu’s comprehensive documentation of Istanbul, spanning from architecture to folklore and notable figures.

Visitors to the site can view published entries up to the letter “G” alongside 40,000 previously inaccessible archival documents, enabling an immersive experience that brings together text and visual materials from different stages of the encyclopedia’s development. These records provide insights into the cultural and historical fabric of Istanbul, combining traditional biographical and Western encyclopedic approaches to create a deeply personal yet scholarly account of the city.

Preserved with the dedication of Emine Gönel and Elif Birdoğan, Koçu’s collection was transferred to Kadir Has University in 2018. The ongoing archival project, initially led by Meriç Öner and Arzu Erdem, seeks to honor Koçu’s vision of Istanbul as a “grand register” of city life—an extensive, vivid portrayal of everything from architectural landmarks to everyday customs.