The construction of this building, which is the largest melting pot building in Turkey, began in 1905 to serve as the Ministry of Post and Telegraph building.
The construction of this building, which is the largest postal building in Turkey, began in 1905 to serve as the Post and Telegraph Ministry building.
The name of the building, which was completed in 1909, was changed to "New Post Office" in the 1930s and later to "Great Post Office". The building is the first work of architect Vedat Tek. It is one of the first examples of the First National Architecture Movement. The upper part of the entrance door reads "Posta Telegraph Ministry" in Ottoman with tile work.
The entrance of the four-story, 3200-square-meter building is elevated with steps and both corners of the front facade are highlighted, raised and covered with a dome. Inside the building, there is a rectangular central space rising for 3 floors and rooms surrounding it. The decorations are dominated by the 16th century Ottoman style. The facade is made of carved stone and marble. It is thought that Vedat Tek specially designed its bricks. The main entrance opens to a very large hall. The ceiling, which rises to the roof, is covered with mostly orange and blue colored glass.
The building also served as the Istanbul Radio House between 1937-1936. In 1958, it began to be used entirely for postal and telegraph purposes. Today, it serves as the Istanbul European Side PTT General Directorate, and there is a fully equipped post office (Sirkeci PTT Center) on the ground floor. Inside, there is a museum about the country's communication and telecommunication history.
