Kıbrıslı Mehmed Emin Pasha Yalı, Ottoman waterfront mansion in Kandilli, Turkey
Kıbrıslı Mehmed Emin Pasha Yalı is a wooden waterfront mansion with an elongated facade composed of several sections arranged in a stepped pattern along the Bosphorus. The structure occupies four separate land plots and features interior wattle-and-daub walls contrasted with resinous pine wood exterior cladding.
Built in the late 18th century in neoclassical style, the mansion belonged to Mehmed Emin Pasha, an influential Ottoman official. The addition of summer rooms during the following century reflected the family's changing needs and lifestyle preferences.
The residence displays traditional Ottoman living patterns through its formal reception room and seasonal summer hall, showing how affluent families organized entertaining and daily routines. These spaces reveal the social customs and domestic arrangements typical of Ottoman elite households.
The mansion is located in Kandilli along the Bosphorus and visible from the waterfront, though access may be limited as it remains a private residence. Visitors can appreciate the exterior design and waterfront positioning from nearby public spaces or from the water.
The German Archaeological Institute documented the mansion through photographs in 1962, capturing rare details of construction and original finishes that have since changed. These images form an important visual record of the building's condition at that specific moment in time.
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