National archive site for Ottoman documents opened

A National Archive Site for Ottoman documents was opened in Istanbul on June 2 with the participation of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Speaking at an inauguration ceremony, Erdogan said the Ottoman Archives, which will consist of official documents from the Ottoman era, most of which have been digitized, will bridge the gap between the country's younger generations and its Ottoman past. "We are not only inaugurating a public investment, but also providing Turkey with a treasure," Erdogan said, adding that these books, documents and history are as valuable as our flag. The site, constructed on an area of 57,000 square meters, provides air-conditioning facilities to ensure healthy maintenance of archives. Furthermore, ventilation, moisturizing and alarm systems have been set up on showcases.  The National Archive Site encompasses 13 blocks, consisting of an administrative building, a research hall with a capacity of 350 people, research institute, library and museum, digital archiving unit, restoration unit, publication services unit, classification units and social services units.