Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts

Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts (Turkish: Mimar Sinan Güzel Sanatlar Üniversitesi) is a Turkish state university dedicated to the higher education of fine arts. It is located in the Fındıklı neighborhood of İstanbul, Turkey. It was founded on January 1, 1882 as the "School of Fine Arts" ("Mekteb-i Sanayi-i Nefise-i Şâhâne" or simply "Sanayi-i Nefise Mektebi") by the renowned Turkish painter Osman Hamdi Bey, who was also an art historian, archeologist and museum curator. The institution, being the first of its kind in Turkey, took up education in fine arts and architecture on March 2, 1883 with 8 instructors and 20 students.

In 1914, the school became co-educational. The school was converted in 1928 to an academy, the first academy in Turkey, and its name was changed to "Academy of Fine Arts" (Güzel Sanatlar Akademisi). In 1969, it was renamed to "Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts" (İstanbul Devlet Güzel Sanatlar Akademisi). On July 20, 1982, its status was changed, and the academy became a university named "Mimar Sinan University" (Mimar Sinan Üniversitesi) after the great Ottoman architect Sinan. Finally, in December 2003, the administration of the university changed its name to "Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts".

Academic units

Faculty of natural sciences and literature (archeology, paedagogy, physics, statistics, mathematics, history of art, sociology, history, Turkish philology and literature)

Faculty of fine arts (photography, traditional Turkish handicrafts, graphic design, sculpture, painting, stage design and stage clothes, ceramics art and glass art, cinema and TV, textile design and fashion design, bookbinding, tilework restoration, calligraphy, rug and old textile design)

Faculty of architecture (industrial design, interior decoration, architecture, urban planning and regional planning)

State conservatory (music, musicology, performing arts)

Vocational school (textile design, building restoration)

Institute of natural sciences

Institute of social sciences

School of informatics


Contact: Mimar Sinan Üniversitesi Meclis-i Mebusan Cad. 80040 Fındıklı - İstanbul

Text adapted from Wikipedia. © http://www.msu.edu.tr/