ISTANBUL
Renowned for his photography and documentary films on Istanbul’s urban transformation, Timurtaş Onan dedicates his latest book to the inns and inhabitants of the Historical Peninsula and Sirkeci.
“Occasionally, I catch snippets of music on the streets, scenes from films, or lines from poems. Sometimes, I see the characters from novels or movies in the people I photograph. Other times, I simply enjoy the moment without taking any photos, savoring a café in a back alley.”
Onan, who expresses his passion for Istanbul with these words, is an artist who loves to “get lost” in the city, immersing himself in the moments and lives he captures through his lens. His Turkish and English book “Hans of Istanbul” is the culmination of a decade of dedicated work.
Onan frequently visited the Ottoman trade inns in the Historical Peninsula and Sirkeci region, forging friendships that allowed him to become part of this unique habitat. Perhaps this is the secret behind the captivating moments he captured in Istanbul hans —places that resist the passage of time with their enduring splendor, despite the wear and tear.
His photos reveal the magic in the corridors, courtyards, and dimly lit workshops and shops, where light and shadow chase each other.
Like the other volumes of the Istanbul Anthology that reflect Onan’s personal rhythm within the city, “Hans of Istanbul” consists of only black and whites, a total of 308 frames. Onan often chooses black and white in his works to evoke a sense of timelessness, capture moments in their purest form, and emphasize contrasts and tones more strongly. With his powerful images, Onan once again leaves a lasting impression on our collective visual memory.
About the Hans of Istanbul
In this book, Onan has photographed life in and around the Istanbul hans that stretch from the outskirts of the Grand Bazaar in the Historic Peninsula to the Mahmutpaşa district, passing through Mercan and Çakmakçılar Streets, and the Rüstem Pasha Mosque Complex in Eminönü, extending all the way to Perşembe Market in Karaköy across the Golden Horn.
These commercial hans, or urban versions of caravanserais that historically accommodated caravans along Anatolian trade routes, have undergone significant changes in Istanbul’s old bazaars area.
Originally serving as vaults for storing valuable goods, they also became centers of production, hosting skilled artisans from the 15th century onwards.
Starting from the 15th century, the hans have also assumed a production function, and have been home to an ecosystem of leading artisans, especially gold and silversmiths, jewelry designers, mold makers, foundrymen, spinning masters, inlay masters, diamond and gemstone setters, as well as traders.
Among the inns photographed by Timurtaş Onan are Büyük Valide Han, Büyük Yeni Han, Abud Efendi Han, Çuhacı Han, Kalcılar Han, Büyük Yıldız Han, Yaldızlı Han, Ali Paşa Han, Balkapanı Han.
About Timurtaş Onan
Onan was born and brought up in Istanbul, getting involved in photography in the 1980s. During this period, he organized and attended several photography events, exhibiting his work both at home, in Türkiye, and abroad, while also acting as a jury member for national and international competitions.
He created documentaries on socially relevant issues as well. His works have been acquired by public and private collections in Türkiye and abroad. Particularly well known for his distinctive projects on Istanbul, Onan is currently giving photography workshops, curating exhibitions, and working on adding new editions to his “Istanbul Anthology” which will comprise five volumes, focusing on various aspects of the city.
