Hafiz Ahmed Aga Könyvtár, Ottoman library in Rhodes Town, Greece
The Hafiz Ahmed Aga Library houses roughly 1,200 manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, and Turkish languages. The collection is kept in a front room at Emmanuel Kouti Street, where selected copies are displayed behind windows for viewing.
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 collection preserves a Quran manuscript from 1540, highlighting the religious and scholarly importance of this place. Historic maps and engravings hanging on the walls show how Rhodes appeared centuries ago and offer visitors a visual record of the island's past.
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