Sultan Abdulhamid II’s vision still echoes within these walls. We are standing before the University of Health Sciences Hamidiye Campus. It is not just a collection of buildings. It is a living testament to Turkey’s rich medical history and its commitment to the future of healthcare.
The Hamidiye Campus began as the Imperial School of Medicine. It was known as Mekteb-i Tıbbiyye-i Şahane. Sultan Abdulhamid II commissioned its construction in 1894. He entrusted the design to Alexander Vallaury and Raimondo D’Aronco. These architects blended French and Italian influences into a magnificent rectangular structure. This spans 54,000 square meters.
Imagine this place bustling with young medical minds in 1903. Sultan Abdulhamid II himself inaugurated the school on his birthday. Initially, it housed the Military Medicine School. Later, it opened its doors to civilian students. The campus even boasted a botanical garden filled with medicinal plants. An underground tunnel once connected the school to the military hospital across the street.
However, the school closed in 1933 as higher education was reorganized. The building then became Haydarpaşa High School. Marmara University used it as a campus from 1983. This included a Faculty of Medicine.
Fast forward to June 2019. A presidential decree honored Abdulhamid II by adding “Hamidiye” to all faculties. These included colleges and institutes at the Haydarpaşa Campus.
Today, the University of Health Sciences Hamidiye Campus is a hub of medical education. It houses the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy. You can also find the Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences here. Aspiring healthcare professionals from around the globe come to study here. They are drawn to the campus’s rich history and modern facilities.
The University of Health Sciences is Turkey’s only university dedicated solely to health sciences. It has authorization to establish schools and institutes abroad. The university has grown to include the Gülhane Academy of Military Medicine. This happened a year after its establishment.
As you stand here, consider the countless doctors, nurses, and pharmacists who have passed through these halls. The University of Health Sciences Hamidiye Campus continues to shape the future of healthcare. It carries forward a legacy of excellence. It began with a visionary sultan and continues with the dedication of students and faculty today.