Sadberk Hanim Müzesi

The Vehbi Koç Foundation Sadberk Hanım Museum is located in two separate buildings. The first of these is a structure accepted to have been built in the late 19th century, consisting of three full floors and an attic, and stylistically made taking examples from European folk traditional architecture. It was built in wood/bağdadi style on a masonry ground floor and is known as the "Azaryan Yalısı."

Photo: Official Turkish Museums

The yalı was purchased by the Koç family in 1950 and was used as a summer house until 1978, when it was decided to convert it into a museum. Between 1978 - 1980, with the implementation of a restoration project prepared by Sedat Hakkı Eldem, the building was converted into a museum and was opened to visitors on 14 October 1980 to exhibit the Sadberk Koç Collection.

Photo: Official Turkish Museums

Azaryan Yalısı, together with its garden, is 4280 square meters and sits on an area of 400 square meters. On the entrance floor, there is a souvenir shop and a small tea room. The ceiling of the main entrance, which is not used today, is decorated with plaster coffered panels inspired by ancient Roman architecture. The floors are reached by a wooden staircase and the walls are painted with faux-marble decorative work. The central main halls of the first and second floors above the entrance floor and the rooms opening onto them are used as exhibition spaces. In the attic, there are object storerooms, work rooms and a library.

Photo: Official Turkish Museums

On the exterior of the building, between the windows, wooden decorations in the shape of (X) distinguish the building from other yalıs. In addition, the studs on the surface of the building have caused it to be referred to among the public as the "Vidalı Yalı."

Photo: Official Turkish Museums

In order to exhibit the Kocabaş works, which the Vehbi Koç Foundation purchased in 1983 and added to the Sadberk Hanım Museum collections, another yalı located immediately next to the existing building, thought to have been built in the early 20th century and in a semi-ruined condition, was rebuilt with its front façade faithful to the original. Construction of the museum, whose restoration project was prepared by İbrahim Yalçın, lasted two years. In this museum, opened on 24 October 1988 under the name "Sevgi Gönül Binası," pre-Islamic archaeological works are exhibited. It was deemed worthy of the 1988 "Europa Nostra" award due to its contemporary museum application.

Photo: Official Turkish Museums

The front façade of the reinforced concrete structure is clad in wood. The side is plastered in marble imitating wood. This measure was taken against the danger of fire. On the entrance floor of the building, which has three floors from the front and four including the ground floor from the back, there is a multi-purpose hall and a conservation laboratory.

Photo: Official Turkish Museums

On the main and mezzanine floors, archaeological works are exhibited in chronological order. The exhibition area totals 625 square meters. The entrance hall is clad in Afyon white marble, and the stairs and the floors of the exhibition halls are clad in black Adapazarı marble. The exhibition halls are closed to daylight and the display cases have gained the character of a modern museum with contemporary lighting.

Source: General Directorate of Cultural Assets and Museums

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