Hafiz Ahmed Aga Könyvtár, Ottoman library in Rhodes Town, Greece

The Hafiz Ahmed Aga Library is an Ottoman building in the medieval city of Rhodes, standing in a courtyard opposite the Süleymaniye Mosque. It was founded in 1793 and holds 1256 of its original 1995 manuscripts. Old maps and engravings of Rhodes hang on its walls.

The library was established in 1793 by Hafiz Ahmed Aga, a senior official in the Ottoman court. The manuscripts date from the 15th and 16th centuries, documenting a period when the Ottomans controlled this island.

The collection displays texts in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, showing the linguistic diversity of the Ottoman world. Visitors can observe how these writings reflected the intellectual exchanges across the Mediterranean region centuries ago.

Access is limited to the front room where manuscripts can be viewed through windows. Visitors should expect a historical building with limited display space and a modest presentation of the collection.

The library holds a history of the 1522 Ottoman siege of Rhodes and manuscripts with Persian miniatures. Two guards were employed to protect the books and librarians, and the founder paid the librarians extra to teach Arabic to local Turkish youths.