Istanbul Synagogues

As part of the European Heritage Days, organized for the third time this year by the Beyoğlu Municipality between 12–20 September, the “Istanbul Synagogues” exhibition, prepared by the Quincentennial Foundation Museum of Turkish Jews, will be on view in the museum’s temporary exhibition space from 6 September to 30 October.

The exhibition features works produced as part of the Istanbul Synagogues Photography Workshop, led by documentary photographer Alberto Modiano, and explores the synagogues that continue to exist across different neighborhoods of Istanbul through the distinctive perspective of photography.

Known for his work documenting the customs, traditions, and cultural heritage of Turkey’s Jewish community, Modiano led the workshop in which participating photographers, with special permission, photographed synagogues located in Istanbul’s historic neighborhoods. The buildings in Haydarpaşa, Caddebostan, Kuzguncuk, Ortaköy, Yeniköy, Beyoğlu, Hasköy, and Sirkeci, among others, are presented in the exhibition as important witnesses to Istanbul’s multicultural past and urban memory.

The photographers document the architectural characteristics of these buildings and their surrounding environments through their individual perspectives.

The exhibition features five color and black-and-white photographs by each of the following photographers, printed on fine art archival paper: Rafet Akalın, Bige Baykoca Süslü, Beril Baytan, Fethi Baytan, Sibel Çakan, Vanda Kandiyoti Şalom, H. Çağla Mazlum, and Tülin Şahin Safi.

Dates: 6 September – 30 October
Venue: Quincentennial Foundation Museum of Turkish Jews – Temporary Exhibition Space

Visiting Hours:
Sunday–Thursday: 10:00–17:00
Friday: 10:00–13:00

Last admission is 45 minutes before closing.