Library in Rhodes highlights Ottoman manuscripts

RHODES

The Hafız Ahmed Ağa Library on Rhodes Island draws attention with its rich collection of Ottoman-era manuscripts and ongoing digitization projects.

The library was established in 1792 through a foundation set up by Hafız Ahmed Ağa, son of Hasan from Rhodes, and opened in 1793 with an initial collection of 828 manuscripts, all bearing the founder’s seal. Over time, approximately 1,200 more works, including 459 manuscripts, were added through Ottoman institutions and donors.

The library houses rare works in 20 disciplines, primarily Islamic studies, written in Ottoman Turkish, Arabic, and Persian, covering history, jurisprudence, hadith, Sufism, medicine and astronomy. According to inventories, 806 of the original manuscripts survive, and with later additions, the total manuscript count reaches 1,265.

Cataloging began shortly after its founding, with a comprehensive catalog completed in 1795. Two Ottoman Turkish catalogs were prepared in 1923, followed by a Turkish catalog in 1995. Between 1997 and 2001, John R. Barnes carried out a detailed inventory, and from 2008 to 2010, digital images were produced for a significant portion of the collection.

Active until the mid-20th century, the library gained museum status after the death of its last librarian in 1963. Among its most notable works is a handwritten Quran begun in 1401 and completed in 1454 by Ottoman calligraphers. After being stolen at one point, the nearly 600-year-old manuscript was returned through international efforts and is now secured in steel vaults under special protection.