Abdulmecid Efendi Mansion, repairs, current state

The Abdülmecid Efendi Mansion is located in the Bağlarbaşı neighborhood of Üsküdar. The Mansion is situated within a nearly two-hundred-decare garden along Kuşbakışı Street. Although the exact year of construction and the architect are not definitively known, it is believed to have been built between 1880 and 1895 by the Levantine architect Alexander Vallaury. Mansion was built as a hunting lodge by the Egyptian Khedive Ismail Pasha. After the Pasha's death, it was purchased by Sultan Abdulhamid II and gifted to Abdülmecid Efendi. He spent his summers at the mansion, using it as both a atelier and a venue for artistic gatherings and banquets. The mansion ceased to serve its intended function following Abdülmecid Efendi's declaration as caliph and the subsequent abolition of the caliphate shortly thereafter.In 1942, it was sold to Yapı ve Kredi Bankası.The mansion has been under the ownership of the Koç Emekli Sandığı Foundation since 2011 and has been made accessible to the public for art exhibitions during specific periods of the year since 2017. Constructed at the end of the 19th century as a summer residence, the mansion has been chosen as the subject of this thesis due to its distinctive architectural characteristics in comparison to other contemporaneous mansions, as well as its status as one of the few examples that have survived to the present day. Written and visual sources related to the structure have been examined, investigating the mansion's architecture, history, restoration processes, changes in ownership, and alterations in function, along with the historical context of the surrounding area. On-site inspections have been conducted to ascertain the current state of the mansion, and photographs have been taken for documentation. These on-site investigations have been supported by literature reviews to assess the current conservation status of the mansion. Due to its not being utilized full-time after Abdülmecid Efendi's ownership, various conservation issues have arisen. Solutions to these conservation challenges have been proposed based on universal conservation approaches. The mansion holds significant importance among the examples of 19th-century civil architecture and has been registered as a cultural heritage site that must be preserved, maintaining its qualities to the present day. This study aims to emphasize the architectural, cultural, and historical values of the mansion while documenting its current condition. It is expected that this study will highlight the significance of these values and contribute to the preservation of the mansion for future generations. Keywords: Bağlarbaşı, Abdülmecid Efendi, timber mansion.