Yesil Ev Istanbul Green House

The same feature is to be observed in Istanbul. The Ottoman Sultans preffered the locality now known as Seraglio Point , with the result that, during the period that lasted until the middle of the 19th century, the district just beyond, on the slopes overlooking the Marmara between Sultanahmet and Beyazit, gradually became covered with the mansions of the various statesmen and court dignitaries.

One of these mansions which belonged to the Regie Naziri (Director of Monopoly) Sükrü Bey was built towards to the end of the 19th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, this wooden mansion was subjected to a development which was to have unfortunate consequences, not only for the mansion itself, but for the surraunding area as well: A prison was to be built across from the Hagia Sophia.

In the previous fifty or sixty years the area had declined to such an extent that when it became neccessary to built a prison. The main factor in the choice of the location was that the site between that particular corner and Topkapi Palace was where the lawcourts were situated.

In Sükrü Bey's mansion the necessary precautions were immediately taken against their vulgar, disagreeable neighbour. A wall was built across the spacious garden at the back, thus protecting the house from the inauspicious sight of the nearby prison-house.

Life went on as usual in the mansion since this event, in 1910s, until the 1970s. With the death of the General Director the mansion lost its main source of revenue and the great house gradually fell into a state of neglect and dilapidation.

In 1977 this mansion was up for sale and was taken under control by the Turkish Touring and Automobile Association. The old wooden building was so far beyond repair that, with the consent of the Commission for Ancient Monuments, it was demolished and rebuilt. The nineteen rooms and layout were carefully preserved and the exterior remade as an exact replica.

The furnishings have been created in the style of a 19th century winter mansion. The building has an absolutely unrivaled location between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, and at the same time offers visitors the warm, friendly atmosphere of an old Istanbul home.

After the opening of this unique building in March 1984 as the Yesil Ev, it very quickly attained a world-wide reputation and was awarded in 1985 the medal for the year by "Europa Nostra". Yesil Ev had, indeed, introduced the concept of true comfort and hygiene to this "derelict" district and opened a new epoch in Turkish tourism by combining modern standards with historical style.

Rooms

The 19 total rooms which are furnished in the style of a 19th century winter mansion have shower/wc, central heating, air-condition, direct dial telephone, minibar, free tea/coffee tray and safety box. Hair dryer can be requested at the reception. 24 hours room service, power generator and fire alarm system are also available. With a turkish bath and its special decoration the Pasha Room of Yesil Ev has a world � wide reputation.

Restaurant

The indoor restaurant in the lobby with its 19yy mansion style decoration and capacity of 80 people, serves the guests during the winter time.

Garden

In the Garden full of colorful flowers, high trees and a charming pool in pink porphyry, the very special dishes are served to the guests in three seasons of the year. And during the winter time the Sera Restaurant, with the different kinds of plants and colorful lambs in it, serves the guests.

Yesil Ev Garden where the open buffet breakfasts are served in summer has a capacity of 200 people as Cafe & Bar and Restaurant.

Istanbul Handicraft Center

Next door to this beatifully restored building Yesil Ev, the historical Cedid Mehmet Efendi Medresseh was exhausted both physically and juridically. The front side of this one storey classical building which overlooks to the square was illegally sold to individuals and turned into a very bad concrete construction in which the backyard was ruined. It was necessary to discover a suitable function for this medresseh in the field of education and training again. In 1987, after much planning and hardwork, Touring restored this building to its original state and function by making it the first example in Turkey of a center of traditional handicrafts.

The main aim and function of this center is to revive dying crafts and show visitors how these arts and crafts were produced. Each of the rooms opening on to the surrounding portico is assigned to a particular traditional Turkish craft, such as producing marbled paper, calligraphy, painting old style miniatures, lace work, embroidery, doll making, traditional style book-binding, and also a glass and porcelain atelier.

Yesil Ev Istanbul Green House Image Galerie