In the 19th century, during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II, the Ottoman Empire undertook a comprehensive reorganization of systems to meet the demands of the era, including the restructuring of civil higher education (âli mektepler) to align with state requirements. In this context, projects for the country's highways and subsequently railways were initiated, and various schools were established to train engineers, architects, and technical assistants (technicians) for the implementation of these projects.
One of these institutions was the Turuk-u Mâabir Mekteb-i Âli, established in 1874 within the Ministry of Roads and Bridges (Turuk-u Mâabir) at the Galata Palace (later known as Hendesehane-i Mülkiye/Mühendisin-i Mülkiye Mektebi). By 1911, to expedite the completion of a railway network connecting Istanbul with Europe, the Hejaz, Iran, and Russia, the technical training provided at the Turuk-u Mâabir Mekteb-i Âli was restructured. It was separated and reorganized into a three-year program under the name Turuk-u Mâabir Kondüktör Mekteb-i Âlisi, housed in a building on Divanyolu (Health Museum).
Our university, founded in 1911, was restructured in 1937 as the Istanbul Technical School (ITO; Istanbul Teknik Okulu) and commenced education at the Yıldız Palace premises. A faculty building comprising classrooms and workshops, designed by Prof. Emin Onat, was constructed as part of this restructuring. The foundation of our Faculty of Architecture was laid with the initiation of the architecture program in the 1942-1943 academic year. In the 1959-1960 academic year, a one-year specialization program was introduced, transitioning to a two-tier education system and conferring the title of "High Architect." In 1969, the Istanbul Technical School evolved into the Istanbul State Engineering and Architecture Academy (IDMMA; Istanbul Devlet Mühendislik ve Mimarlık Akademisi), and in 1971, the Department of Architecture was transformed into an independent Faculty of Architecture. The institution was renamed Yıldız University in 1982, and the Department of City and Regional Planning was established within the Faculty of Architecture in the same year. The Faculty of Architecture is one of the most established units of our university, which was restructured in 1992 as Yıldız Technical University.
With a history spanning over 75 years, our Faculty is one of the leading and respected institutions in our country, demonstrating dynamic development in scientific, cultural, and intellectual dimensions, supported by a distinguished academic staff and alumni. The Faculty offers undergraduate programs in Architecture (30% English), Architecture (0% English), City and Regional Planning (30% English), and Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage. Additionally, it provides two-year master's and four-year doctoral programs across various fields of specialization and research.