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Istanbul University
Istanbul University
	İstanbul Üniversitesi
Motto	"Leadership in Higher Education for Centuries"
Established	425 (1453)
Type	State university
Rector	Prof. Dr. Yunus Söylet
Staff	6,000
Undergraduates	60,000
Postgraduates	8,000
Location	Eminönü, Istanbul, Turkey
Campus	Beyazıt, Vezneciler, Avcılar; Bahçeköy, Çapa, Cerrahpaşa, Kadıköy
Founder	Sultan Mehmed II (1453); Sultan Abdülmecid I (1846); Sultan Abdülaziz I (1870); Sultan Abdülhamid II (1900); Sultan Mehmed V (1912); Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1933)
Website	http://www.istanbul.edu.tr

Main entrance gate on Beyazit Square with Beyazıt Tower in the background

Main building with statue of Atatürk

It was founded as an institution of higher education named the Darülfünûn ('House of Multiple Sciences') on 23 July 1846; but the Medrese ('School of theological and environmental sciences'), 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. The university celebrated its 550th anniversary in 2003.^[1] Istanbul University (Turkish: İstanbul Üniversitesi) is a Turkish university located in Istanbul. The main campus is adjacent to Beyazıt Square.

[edit] History

German historian Richard Honig believes that the history of the Medrese which first evolved into the Darülfünûn and later became Istanbul University actually started on 1 March 1321, during the reign of Osman I in Bithynia, the cradle of the Ottoman State.^[2]

Main building interior

The first modern Applied Physics courses were given at the Darülfünûn on 31 December 1863, which marked the beginning of a new period, and on 20 February 1870, the school was renamed as the Darülfünûn-u Osmanî ('Ottoman House of Multiple Sciences') and reorganized to meet the needs of modern sciences and technologies. Starting from 1874, some classes of Literature, Law and Applied Sciences were given at the building of Galatasaray Lisesi, which continued regularly until 1881. On 1 September 1900, the school was renamed and reorganized as the Darülfünûn-u Şahane ('Imperial House of Multiple Sciences') with courses on Mathematics, Literature and Theology. On 20 April 1912, the school was renamed as the İstanbul Darülfünûnu ('Istanbul House of Multiple Sciences') while the number of courses were increased and the curricula were modernized with the establishment of the Schools of Medicine, Law, Applied Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics), Literature and Theology.

On 21 April 1924, the Republic of Turkey recognized the Istanbul Darülfünûnu as a state school, and on 7 October 1925, the administrative autonomy of Istanbul Darülfünûnu was recognized while the "Schools" (within the old Medrese system) became modern "Faculties". On 1 August 1933, Istanbul Darülfünûnu was reorganized as Istanbul University (İstanbul Üniversitesi) following the educational reforms of Atatürk. Classes officially began on 1 November 1933.

[edit] Campus

Byzantine remains near Beyazıt Tower

The university has seventeen faculties on five campuses, the main campus being on Beyazıt Square in Istanbul, which was known as the Forum Tauri in the Roman period. It has a teaching staff of 2,000 professors and associates and 4,000 assistants and younger staff. More than 60,000 undergraduate and 8,000 postgraduate students follow the courses offered by Istanbul University every year. The main campus with its landmark gate used to be the Ottoman ministry of war. Located on the grounds is the Beyazıt Tower, a 85 m (279 ft) tall fire-watch tower. The grounds before that was the location of the Eski Palace (Old Palace). Some Roman and Byzantine ruins are still visible on the grounds.