The Memories of an Ottoman Governor in Ankara: Abi̇di̇n Pasha Mansion

Abstract

Abidin Pasha, one of the important high-level bureaucrats of the Late Ottoman Empire Era, began his governorship in Ankara in 1886. Pasha rendered significant services in the urban development and public works of Ankara, while also taking an interest in the city’s aesthetic appearance. During his tenure as governor, the Abidin Pasha Mansion was built on a hill overlooking the city, which is now within the boundaries of the Çankaya Municipality, to serve as the governor’s residence. This building, which bears the characteristic features of Ankara’s traditional 19th-century residential architecture, is a fine example of late Ottoman civil architecture. The mansion has been used for many purposes over the years to meet the needs of the time. After Abidin Pasha’s death in 1906, it appears that the mansion was used more for military purposes. Today, thanks to the initiatives of the Çankaya Municipality, the mansion operates as the Çankaya Municipality Abidin Pasha Mansion National Struggle Museum, which opened in January 2024. As a result of interventions made to the building, the wooden cupboard in the main room on the ground floor was removed, and the balcony, located on the same vertical axis as the entrance door, was completely renovated in terms of material and form. The protruding mass connected to the chimney on the rear facade and the circular top window above the balcony have not survived to the present day. This study will examine the architectural changes that the Abidin Pasha Mansion underwent throughout its history, using old archive photographs and contemporary survey and restoration drawings. In this context, an architectural analysis of the structure will be conducted, and the structure will also be evaluated within the architectural character of the period. Additionally, the changes in the process of transforming the structure into a modern museum will also be conveyed.