Description
Istanbul University (Turkish: İstanbul Üniversitesi) is a prominent Turkish university located in Istanbul.
The main campus is adjacent to Beyazıt Square in Fatih, the capital district of the province, on the European side of the city.
Some pre-1923/1930 western sources refer to it as the University of Constantinople, after the previous name of the city.
Istanbul University is associated with 2 Nobel laureates, Aziz Sancar (in Chemistry) and Orhan Pamuk (in Literature)
History
It was founded as an institution of higher education named the Darülfünun (دار الفنون) (House of Multiple Sciences) on 23 July 1846; but the Medrese (Islamic theological school) which was founded immediately after Mehmed II conquered Constantinople (Istanbul) in 1453 is regarded as the precursor to the Darülfünûn which evolved into Istanbul University in 1933.
Education in a number of sciences and fields (such as medicine, mathematics, astronomy, cartography, geography, history, philosophy, religion, literature, philology, law, etc.) became available, and, until the 19th century, they were instrumental in educating the ruling cadres of the Ottoman society. However, when the medreses were no longer able to meet the needs of the modern world, a restructuring process began, and as a result, the institutions of higher education called Darülfünûn, the core of Istanbul University, was established.
An institution of higher education named the Darülfünûn-u Osmanî (دار الفنون عثماني) (Ottoman House of Sciences) was created in 1863, but suppressed in 1871.[4] Its first rector was Hasan Tahsini, regarded as one of the most important Ottoman scholars of the 19th century. In 1874 the Imperial University (Darülfünûn-u Sultanî) (دار الفنون سلطاني) started classes in law in French, but was closed in 1881.
The Imperial University, now known as Darülfünûn-u Şahâne (دار الفنون شهانه) was refounded in 1900, with the departments of theology, arts, mathematics, science and philology. In 1924, the faculties of law, medicine, arts and sciences were established in Istanbul University (İstanbul Darülfünûnu), as the university was now called.[4] Islamic theology was added in 1925, but in 1933 the university was reorganized without the latter.
Main entrance gate of Istanbul University on Beyazıt Square, which was known as Forum Tauri (later Forum of Theodosius) in the late Roman period. Beyazıt Tower, located within the campus, is seen in the background, to the right of the flagpole.
