Osman Hamdi Bey House Museum & Outhouse

Eskihisar, located approximately 6 km southwest of Gebze District in Kocaeli Province, was a pier that provided passage along the southern shores of the Gulf of İzmit and connected
Gebze to the sea in ancient times. Many sources indicate that the structure and its annexes were built by Osman Hamdi Bey in 1884. Osman Hamdi Bey, who settled in Eskihisar, spent
most of his summers here until his death in 1910, living in seclusion, painting, and hosting many local and foreign guests. Upon his death in 1910, according to his will, his body was
brought to Eskihisar by a small boat and buried in a previously prepared grave behind his mansion.

Osman Hamdi Bey, who had many paintings signed as “Eskihisar,” also engaged in gardening here, and due to the roses he grew, which even covered the facades of the
buildings, the place was called “Hamdi Bey’s Rose Garden.” It is understood that the annex structure was built together with the mansion, with similar architectural features. It is
estimated that the structure experienced a fire in the 1980s. The first floor of the structure was completely rebuilt.

After the restoration, the Osman Hamdi Bey House Museum will preserve its original function and will be used as the “Osman Hamdi Bey House Museum.” Structural interventions were
determined within the scope of the restoration project, and the spaces were functionalized according to themes. The annex structure was designed with functions suitable for working in
conjunction with the Osman Hamdi Bey Museum. The flexible design envisaged for reuse includes an art gallery, exhibition preparation area, technical units, a workshop, and office
units for the employees of the Osman Hamdi Bey Museum.