Taşkışla, Academic architectural complex in Beyoğlu, Turkey.
Taşkışla is an academic building complex in Istanbul with neo-Renaissance architecture and large windows that create bright, open corridors across multiple floors. The structure combines stone masonry with generous spaces for teaching and learning.
English architect William James Smith built Taşkışla between 1846 and 1852 originally as a medical school. After 1860 it was converted to military barracks and served for some time protecting the nearby Dolmabahçe Palace.
The building displays Western architectural influences that emerged during the Ottoman Empire's modernization period. Its neoclassical design reflects the mixing of European and local building traditions.
The building is currently used by the Architecture Faculty of Istanbul Technical University. Its location in Beyoğlu provides good access through public transportation options including the Maçka cable car.
The structure was repeatedly repurposed, serving first as a medical training facility, then as a protective outpost for the imperial palace, before eventually becoming an architecture school. This shifting use reflects the dramatic changes Istanbul experienced over time.
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