Turks who have ruled a huge empire for centuries have seen that communication is an important infrastructure of technologic and social development, and in those ages they have established an effective communication system consisting of a specially trained people called as "Ulak", Tatar", Çapar" and "Berid".

The first Postal Organization was established as a Ministry on October 23rd, 1840 as the result of developments experienced with "Tanzimat Fermanı" (Firman on Reforms) for the purpose of satisfying postal needs of all people of the Ottoman Empire and aliens.

The first Post-Office was opened under the name of "Postahane-I Amire" ( Department of Post-Office) at the courtyard of Yeni Camii (Mosque) in İstanbul, and the first officials, Suleyman Aga, collector Sofyali Agyazar were appointed as translators in order to translate the addresses of postal items written in languages other than Turkish.

11 years following the invention of telegraph in 1843, telegraph service had been started also in our country, and a separate Directorate of Telegraph had been established in 1855 in order to provide this service. In 1871, the Ministry of Post and the Directorate of Telegraph where united under the name of Ministry of Post and Telegraph. In 1876 international postal transportation network had been established, and in 1901, parcel and money order were started to be accepted. After the establishment of the first manual telephone exchange in İstanbul on may 23rd 1909, the Ministry of Post and Telgraph was turned into the Ministry of Post, Telegraph and Telephone in 1909 and it took the name of General Directorate of Post, Telgraph and Telephone (PTT) in 1913. General Directorate of PTT which had served as subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the early years of our Republic and in 1933, functioned as an Administration of the Ministry of Public Works and has been carrying out its service since 1939 as subordinate to the Ministry of Transportation.

General Directorate of PTT, which became a State Economic Enterprise (SEE) in 1954, has been transferred into the status of the State Economic Establishment (SEE) by the Statutory Law (SL) on the reorganization of the State Enterprises in 1984.

By the Law dated 18.06.1994 and No. 4000, was the General Directorate of PTT was structured and divided into two as, General Directorate of Posts and Turkish Telecommunications Coop. (Turk Telekomunikasyon Anonim Sirketi), and General Directorate of Posts ( T.C. Posta Isletmesi Genel Mudurlugu) has started to operate independently since 24.04.1995.

The name of the Administration which was "General Directorate of Posts" was amended as "General Directorate of PTT " (PTT) under the Article 24 of the Law No.4502, which has been entered into force by being published in the Official numbered 23948, dated 29.01.2000.

MY OTTOMAN EMPIRE STAMPS

MY TURKISH REPUBLIC STAMPS