The printing press is an important milestone in book printing and publishing. Turkish printing made significant progress during the Ottoman Empire. In this blog post, we will provide detailed information about the establishment of the first Turkish printing press and the role of İbrahim Müteferrika.

The Coming of the Printing Press to the Ottoman Empire: The arrival of the printing press in the Ottoman Empire dates back to the early 18th century. During this period, printing technologies and printing methods in the West reached the Ottoman lands. The adoption of printing technology in the Ottoman Empire had a great impact on communication and cultural development.
Establishment of the First Turkish Printing House: The first Turkish printing house was established in 1727. İbrahim Müteferrika, the founder and operator of this printing house, is one of the pioneers of Turkish printing. Müteferrika was an Ottoman statesman of Hungarian origin and developed the idea of establishing a printing press in intellectual circles in Istanbul.
Works of İbrahim Müteferrika: While İbrahim Müteferrika attempted to establish a printing press, he aimed to publish and popularize Turkish and Arabic books. He traveled to Austria to learn about printing technologies in the West and purchased printing machines and equipment.
First Published Books: The first books printed in İbrahim Müteferrika’s printing press were works that focused on Islamic and Ottoman culture. These included books on topics such as history, linguistics, geography and philosophy. In addition, scientific and technical publications were also printed during the Ottoman Empire’s opening to the West.
Effects of the Printing Press: The establishment of the first Turkish printing press created a cultural and intellectual revolution in the Ottoman Empire. The widespread printing of books enabled knowledge and thought to reach a wider audience. Thanks to the printing press in the Ottoman Empire, scientific, literary and religious texts reached a wider audience. At the same time, the printing press played an important role in the modernization process of the Ottoman Empire.

Conclusion: The first Turkish printing press, founded under the leadership of İbrahim Müteferrika, had a great impact on the Ottoman Empire. Thanks to the printing press, books in Turkish and Arabic were published and a cultural and intellectual revolution took place. While the first books focused mainly on Islamic and Ottoman culture, later scientific, literary and technical publications were also printed. Turkish printing took root with this development, which began under the leadership of İbrahim Müteferrika, and has survived to the present day. İbrahim Müteferrika’s work has made significant contributions to the development of Turkish culture and literature in the field of printing and publishing. Today, printing technology, which is widely used in Turkey and the Turkish world, started with this important step taken under the leadership of İbrahim Müteferrika.

İbrahim Müteferrika is the pioneer of Turkish printing. He also founded the first printing press in 1727. Therefore, the printing press entered the Ottoman lands. In this case, the number of printed works increased. Müteferrika printed various books in his printing house. He also prioritized science, history and geography. Therefore, information dissemination accelerated. In this case, public access to information became easier.

İbrahim Müteferrika improved printing techniques. He also produced high quality and durable prints. Therefore, printed works were long-lasting. In this case, the value of the printing press increased. Müteferrika obtained permission for the establishment of the printing house. He also received support from the notables of the period. Therefore, the printing house became operational in a short time. In this case, the culture of printed works became widespread in the Ottoman Empire.

The establishment of the first Turkish printing house was a big step in the field of education and culture. Also, the contributions of İbrahim Müteferrika are unforgettable. Therefore, the foundations of Turkish printing were laid. In this case, access to information and the quality of education has increased. Furkan Ofset respects this deep-rooted history of printing. It also offers modern printing solutions. Therefore, it contributes to the development of printing.