Many historical buildings have been preserved faithfully to the present day, from the Levantine Families who have determined Buca as their place of residence for almost 2 centuries. The wealthy Levantine families who settled in Izmir at the beginning of the 1800s became richer than ever with the trade branches they developed here.
Wealthy Levantine families living in Buca also established their offices in and around the Port of Alsancak, which opened to Asia Minor. The families who have settled their daily lives in Buca have undoubtedly left dozens of historical buildings that are valuable in Buca.
We have listed 10 mansions that you can visit in Buca with the first Tennis Club (Beautiful Aero Club), the first zoo in a modern sense, the first track built in Anatolia since the Roman Empire, the first city park, and the first modern campus of the country. Shall we visit these unusual mansions, most of which are open to the public?
10 Mansions or Historical Buildings that You Can Visit in Buca
1. Forbes Mansion, Buca
Forbes Mansion, one of the most recognizable and most photographed mansions of Buca. Built in 1908 by Scottish-born Levantine George King Forbes, the mansion was burned down in 1909 as a result of a fire and rebuilt in 1910.
The Forbes Mansion is located on the campus of Buca Seyfi Demirsoy State Hospital, which is currently under the management of the Ministry of Health. Restoration works are continuing at Forbes Mansion, which was also used as a tuberculosis war dispensary for a period. The inside of the mansion has been closed for many years due to the restoration process, but you can capture wonderful photo frames from the outside.
Detailed information about Forbes Mansion, one of the 10 mansions or historical buildings that you can visit in Buca, is at this link: https://discoverbuca.com/forbes-mansion/
2. Hacı David Fargoh Mansion or Pavilion (Pink Mansion)
Hacı David Fargoh Mansion is one of the oldest mansions in Buca. Today, the mansion, which is used as the Culture and Art Center of Buca Municipality, is known as Pink Mansion. The pavilion, which also includes the Buca Municipality wedding hall, hosts cultural and art events 365 days a year.
Buca Municipality, one of the oldest municipalities established in Turkey; bought the mansion in 1925 and now using it as a municipal service building. The most interesting information is that until November 2000, the Hacı David Fargoh Mansion was used as a municipal service building.
Hacı David Fargoh Mansion is open to the public 7 days a week.
Detailed information about Buca Pink Mansion, one of the 10 pavilions or historical buildings that you can visit in Buca, can be found at this link: https://discoverbuca.com/haci-davut- fargoh-mansion-buca-pink-mansion/
3. Baltazzi Mansion, Buca
Baltazzi Mansion, is one of the oldest manors of Buca. The first owners of the mansion, which is thought to have been built in the 1868s, are the Baltazzi Family, who have a presence in the field of archaeology. In 1890, a rich merchant from Izmir of Armenian descent named Ioyanis Ispartaliyan became the owner of this mansion. Then, during the occupation years of the 1920s, it was used as an orphanage for Greek children under the management of the Greek National Bank.
Baltazzi Mansion is currently used as Mehmet Akif Inan Anadolu High School. It is possible to visit the school building outside of school hours. School officials show visitors around the school. During class hours, you can see the inside of the building, while during other hours you can photograph the garden, pool and the outside of the building.
Detailed information about Baltazzi Mansion, one of the 10 mansions or historical buildings that you can visit in Buca, can be found at this link: https://discoverbuca.com/baltazzi- mansion/
4. Gavrili Mansion or Sini Mansion, Buca
Built by the Architect Vafiadis in 1905, Gavrili Mansion is located on Uğur Mumcu Street in the Dumlupınar Neighborhood of Buca. Although it is not fully confirmed today, according to many historical sources, the Gavrili Family lived in this mansion.
Used as the residence of Pengelli Family for a long time, Gavrili Mansion was later used as the guest house of Yapı Kredi Bank. Idle for a period due to disrepair, it was purchased by Ismet Çiftçi by protocol in 2008 and has undergone a serious restoration.
Gavrili Pavilion is open to the public and can be visited because it serves as a restaurant. Detailed information about Gavrili Mansion, one of the 10 mansions or historical buildings
that you can visit in Buca, is at this link: https://discoverbuca.com/gavrili-mansion/
5. Hanson Mansion, Buca
Located on the Uğur Mumcu street of Dumlupınar Neighborhood, Hanson Mansion is built by one of the British Levantine families, Hansons, in 1876. Unfortunately, we do not have much information about the Hanson Family, the first owners of the Buca Hanson Mansion, which consists of two floors above the ground and a lean-to facade.
Currently, the Hanson Mansion, which has a private property, is again open to the public for a large part due to the fact that it serves as the service building of a private educational institution.
Detailed information about Hanson Mansion, one of the 10 mansions or historical buildings that you can visit in Buca, can be found at this link: https://discoverbuca.com/hanson-mansion-buca/
6. Mıssır Line Mansion, Buca
Over time, it passed in other hands several more times after the Forbes Family, the Mıssır Family, the Guest Family and the Stevenson Family, but unfortunately the Mıssır Line Mansion has not reached our days. Now the Mıssır Line Mansion, which was severely damaged by a fire in 2014, stands in an inert state with its roof largely collapsed.
Although it is dangerous and forbidden to visit inside because of the idle state of the Mıssır Line Mansion, from the photos you will take from its exterior you can understand the splendor of the mansion.
Detailed information about the Mıssır Line Pavilion, one of the 10 mansions or historical buildings that you can visit in Buca, is at this link:
7. Buca St. John Baptist Protestant Church, Buca
The building was built as a small chapel in 1834 so that Protestants living in Buca could perform their worship, and in 1865 it was converted into a church in its present form. The church was transferred to Buca Municipality in 1960 due to the declining congregation and was used by Buca Municipality as a Wedding Apartment and Buca Cultural Center until 2001.
Today, serves as a place of worship, St. John Baptist Protestant Church is open for visits 7 days a week.
Detailed information about Buca Protestant Church, which is one of the 10 mansions or historical buildings you can visit in Buca, is at this link: https://bucayikesfet.com/st-john- baptist-kilisesi-buca/
8. Rees Mansion or Rees Pavilion Buca
Built with a deep geometric architectural understanding of both the outer form and the inner form, the Buca Rees mansion was seized by the then Governor of Izmir, Rahmi Bey, in the First World War and used as a boarding teaching school for girls. The mansion was returned to the Rees Family at the end of the war, and was purchased by the Ministry of National Education in the 1930s when the family left Turkey, and reopened for educational purposes.
Today, Rees Mansion, which serves as the Dean of the Faculty of Education of Dokuz Eylül University under the Ministry of National Education, is partially open to visitors.
Detailed information about Buca Rees Mansion, one of the 10 mansions or historical buildings that you can visit in Buca, is at this link: https://discoverbuca.com/rees-mansion/
9. Buca Migration and Exchange Memorial House
Although the exact year of construction of the Buca Migration and Exchange Memorial House is not known, it is believed that the building was built no later than 1904, which is written at the beginning of the marble fountain in the garden. Although there is no inscription, experts have a common opinion that the Greek letters G and N, written on the marble fountain in the garden, are the owners of the structure.
In fact, the House of Migration and Exchange is a structure in the style of Chios, which is often used by non-Muslims and local people in architecture, except for Levantine families in Buca. Buca Migration and Exchange Memorial House, which has the technical characteristics of Chios style, is a museum house consisting of two floors and a small garden.
Buca Migration and Exchange Memorial House is open for public visit.
Detailed information about the Buca Migration and Exchange Memorial House, which is one of the 10 mansions or historical buildings that you can visit in Buca, can be found at this link:
10. Barff Mansion, Buca
Currently serves as a Museum of Vexilology and Turkish Flags affiliated to Dokuz September University (DEU), the Barff Mansion is open for public visits.
Detailed information about Buca Barff Mansion, one of the 10 mansions or historical buildings that you can visit in Buca, is at this link: https://discoverbuca.com/barff-mansion- buca/
