Street housing Orhan Kemal Museum renamed after celebrated Turkish author

ISTANBUL

A street in Istanbul’s historic Beyoğlu district housing the Orhan Kemal Museum has been renamed after the celebrated Turkish novelist, following a unanimous decision by the district’s municipal council.

The name of Akarsu Yokuşu Street, located in the Kılıçali Paşa neighborhood, was officially changed to Orhan Kemal Street during Beyoğlu Municipality’s November 2026 council meeting.

The proposal, submitted by the municipality’s Department of Real Estate and Expropriation, was unanimously approved by council members to honor the author’s legacy and preserve his place in Turkish literature.

Orhan Kemal (1914–1970), whose real name was Mehmet Raşit Öğütçü, was one of Türkiye’s leading representatives of social realist literature. Known for his novels and short stories depicting the lives of workers, the urban poor and disadvantaged communities, he frequently explored themes of poverty, labor, social inequality and the struggles of ordinary people.

Among his best-known works are Bereketli Topraklar Üzerinde (On Fertile Lands), Murtaza and Cemile. His writing drew heavily on his observations of working-class life and his own experiences, making him one of the prominent voices of social realism in Turkish literature.

The Orhan Kemal Museum, located on the newly named street, houses personal belongings, photographs, manuscripts and documents related to the author’s life and literary career.