The display aims to bring forgotten names, buildings and stories from the district’s history to light.
An exhibition documenting the six-century history of Istanbul’s Kazlıçeşme district, from its early tanneries to its transformation into an industrial center and later urban renewal, has opened at Kazlıçeşme Sanat in the Zeytinburnu district.
Titled “Kazlıçeşme’s Six-Century Memory,” the exhibition has been organized by Zeytinburnu Municipality and brings together historical photographs, maps, paintings and archival documents tracing the district’s social, cultural and industrial past.
The exhibition explores Kazlıçeşme’s development from a small Byzantine-era settlement into one of the Ottoman Empire’s earliest industrial areas, where leather workers and tanneries were concentrated during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II, also known as Mehmed the Conqueror.
The district underwent a major transformation after its leather workshops were relocated to Tuzla in 1993, leaving behind a rich industrial heritage.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Zeytinburnu Mayor Ömer Arısoy said the exhibition aimed to document a long-neglected part of the district’s history.
“Visitors will be able to explore the district’s old buildings, production methods, people, social relationships and memories that have survived to this day, in short, its six-century memory, through documents and photographs taken by both master photographers and younger generations,” Arısoy said.
He added that the exhibition was divided into four main sections and accompanied by a book-catalogue. The collection also includes historical maps, paintings and four imperial decrees shedding light on Kazlıçeşme’s past.
Curator Ömer Faruk Şerifoğlu said the project sought to bring forgotten names, buildings and stories from the district’s history to light.
The four sections are titled “History and Memory of Kazlıçeşme,” “Kazlıçeşme: Then and Now,” “Art in Kazlıçeşme” and “Figures Who Left Their Mark on Kazlıçeşme.”
The exhibition features photographs by İzzet Keribar, Yıldız Çelik, Ali Öz, Gültekin Çizgen and Mehmet Alpay, alongside paintings by artists including Givanian, Süheyl Ünver, Muhsin Kut, Ümit Çamaş and Levent Akçay.
It also presents stories connected to historical buildings, local legends and notable figures associated with the district, including actress Afife Jale, criminal figure Necdet Elmas and leather industry pioneer Hasan Yelmen.
“Kazlıçeşme’s Six-Century Memory” will remain open to visitors at Kazlıçeşme Sanat until Feb. 28, 2027.
