Presidency State Archives of Türkiye (T.C. Cumhurbaşkanlığı Devlet Arşivleri Başkanlığı)

Overview

The Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Directorate of State Archives (T.C. Cumhurbaşkanlığı Devlet Arşivleri Başkanlığı) is the central governmental institution responsible for the collection, preservation, and management of Turkey's official historical records. It maintains three major archival divisions: the Ottoman Archives (Osmanlı Arşivi), located in Istanbul; the Republic Archives (Cumhuriyet Arşivi), located in Ankara; and the Turkish Diplomatic Archives (Türk Diplomatik Arşivi). Together these form one of the world's most significant repositories of imperial and national state records.

History and Founding

The origins of systematic archiving in Turkey trace to 1845, when Ottoman Finance Minister Safveti Pasha oversaw the classification of historical documents at Topkapı Palace. By 1846 the Document Treasury Ministry was established within the Sublime Porte (Bâb-ı Âlî). Following the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, archival functions were reorganized through a series of mergers and restructurings. The General Directorate of State Archives was formally established in 1984 under Law No. 3056. On 10 July 2018, through Presidential Decree No. 11, the institution was reorganized as the Directorate of State Archives under the direct authority of the Presidency of the Republic.

Collections and Holdings

The Ottoman Archives Complex, relocated to the Kağıthane district of Istanbul in 2013, holds millions of documents concerning the administration of the Ottoman Empire from its earliest centuries through its dissolution in the early twentieth century. Collections include correspondence between central and local institutions, documents pertaining to nearly forty countries formed from former Ottoman territory, and records of political and commercial relations. The Republic Archives in Ankara holds documents related to the founding, ministries, and administration of the Turkish Republic since 1923. The Diplomatic Archives maintains foreign affairs records transferred under a 2000 protocol with the Foreign Ministry.

Digitization and Access

The Directorate operates the Belge Tarama Sistemi (BETSİS), providing online catalog access and digital image reproduction of archival documents from all three archives. Researchers can register online and request documents for viewing in reading rooms. The Ankara Republic Archives facility opened in 1988, and the Istanbul Ottoman Archives Complex opened in 2013. Both are open to Turkish and international researchers with valid identification and researcher registration.