Sadberk Hanim Museum
Encyclopedia
The Sadberk Hanım Museum is a private museum located at the Bosporus
in Büyükdere neighborhood of Sarıyer
district in Istanbul
, Turkey
, which was established by the Vehbi Koç Foundation
in memory of Vehbi Koç
’s deceased wife Sadberk. The museum is open every day except Wednesdays.
traditions. The building, constructed of wood and lathe-and-plaster on a masonry foundation, was known as the "Azeryan Yalısı".
The building was purchased by the Koç family in 1950, and was used by them as a summerhouse until the decision to convert it into a museum was taken in 1978. The conversion into a museum was carried out between 1978 and 1980 according to a restoration project that had been prepared by Sedat Hakkı Eldem. It opened its doors to the public on October 14, 1980 with the Sadberk Koç collection on display.
The Azeryan Yalı occupies of space set in grounds measuring a total of t|4280|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} in all. On the ground floor is a gift shop and a small tea room. The ceiling over the main entrance, which is no longer used, is decorated with plaster moldings inspired by ancient Roman architecture
. Wooden stairways lead to the upper floors. The walls are painted so as to resemble veined marble. The centrally located main halls of the second and third floors and the rooms opening onto them are used for display purposes. The attic is used for storage and also contains offices and a library. The crossed wooden moldings decorating the exterior give the building a distinctive appearance quite different from that of its neighbors. It is because of these molded facades that the building was for a long time popularly known as the "Threaded Yalı".
In 1983, the Vehbi Koç Foundation purchased the Hüseyin Kocabaş collection for the Sadberk Hanım Museum. It was decided to purchase and restore a semi-dilapidated yalı adjacent to it to house these new acquisitions. The facade of this second yali, which is thought to have been constructed in the early part of this century, was faithfully reconstructed according to the original. The restoration project was prepared by İbrahim Yalçın and the work, including the construction of the museum, took two years to complete. This museum, which was opened on October 24, 1988, was given the name the "Sevgi Gönül Wing" after the daughter of Sadberk. It houses works from the pre-Islamic period. In 1988 it was awarded the Europa Nostra
prize as an outstanding example of modern museum architecture and design.
This wing is completely constructed of reinforced concrete. The front is clad in wood while the side is clad in marble stucco
treated to resemble wood. This was done as a precaution against fire. The building has three stories in the front and four at the back, including the ground floor on which are located a multi-purpose hall and conservation laboratory. Archaeological objects are displayed in chronological order on the main and other floors. The total exhibition space is 625 square metres. The entrance floor is paved in white Afyon marble while black Adapazarı
marble was used for the floors of the exhibition spaces and the stairs. All the exhibition areas are sealed off from daylight and the display cases are illuminated in keeping with modern museum techniques.
Bosporus
The Bosphorus or Bosporus , also known as the Istanbul Strait , is a strait that forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with the Dardanelles...
in Büyükdere neighborhood of Sarıyer
Sariyer
Sarıyer is the northernmost district of Istanbul, Turkey, on the European side of the city. With a long shore along the water, the district boasts both a beautiful coastline and a lush forest. The Sarıyer district is a huge area consisting of the villages on the European side of the Bosphorus from...
district in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, which was established by the Vehbi Koç Foundation
Vehbi Koç Foundation
The Vehbi Koç Foundation is one of the biggest non-governmental charitable organizations in Turkey. It was established on January 17, 1969 by the Turkish entrepreneur and philanthropist Vehbi Koç...
in memory of Vehbi Koç
Vehbi Koç
Vehbi Koç , born in Çoraklı, Ankara, Ottoman Empire, was a Turkish entrepreneur and philanthropist. He founded the Koç Group, one of Turkey’s largest and most prestigious group of companies...
’s deceased wife Sadberk. The museum is open every day except Wednesdays.
Buildings
The museum occupies two separate buildings of charming 19th century wooden villas. The original building is a three-story plus an attic wooden mansion and whose architecture was inspired by European vernacularVernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...
traditions. The building, constructed of wood and lathe-and-plaster on a masonry foundation, was known as the "Azeryan Yalısı".
The building was purchased by the Koç family in 1950, and was used by them as a summerhouse until the decision to convert it into a museum was taken in 1978. The conversion into a museum was carried out between 1978 and 1980 according to a restoration project that had been prepared by Sedat Hakkı Eldem. It opened its doors to the public on October 14, 1980 with the Sadberk Koç collection on display.
The Azeryan Yalı occupies of space set in grounds measuring a total of t|4280|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} in all. On the ground floor is a gift shop and a small tea room. The ceiling over the main entrance, which is no longer used, is decorated with plaster moldings inspired by ancient Roman architecture
Roman architecture
Ancient Roman architecture adopted certain aspects of Ancient Greek architecture, creating a new architectural style. The Romans were indebted to their Etruscan neighbors and forefathers who supplied them with a wealth of knowledge essential for future architectural solutions, such as hydraulics...
. Wooden stairways lead to the upper floors. The walls are painted so as to resemble veined marble. The centrally located main halls of the second and third floors and the rooms opening onto them are used for display purposes. The attic is used for storage and also contains offices and a library. The crossed wooden moldings decorating the exterior give the building a distinctive appearance quite different from that of its neighbors. It is because of these molded facades that the building was for a long time popularly known as the "Threaded Yalı".
In 1983, the Vehbi Koç Foundation purchased the Hüseyin Kocabaş collection for the Sadberk Hanım Museum. It was decided to purchase and restore a semi-dilapidated yalı adjacent to it to house these new acquisitions. The facade of this second yali, which is thought to have been constructed in the early part of this century, was faithfully reconstructed according to the original. The restoration project was prepared by İbrahim Yalçın and the work, including the construction of the museum, took two years to complete. This museum, which was opened on October 24, 1988, was given the name the "Sevgi Gönül Wing" after the daughter of Sadberk. It houses works from the pre-Islamic period. In 1988 it was awarded the Europa Nostra
Europa Nostra
Europa Nostra, the pan-European Federation for Cultural Heritage, is the representative platform of 250 heritage NGOs active in 45 countries across Europe...
prize as an outstanding example of modern museum architecture and design.
This wing is completely constructed of reinforced concrete. The front is clad in wood while the side is clad in marble stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
treated to resemble wood. This was done as a precaution against fire. The building has three stories in the front and four at the back, including the ground floor on which are located a multi-purpose hall and conservation laboratory. Archaeological objects are displayed in chronological order on the main and other floors. The total exhibition space is 625 square metres. The entrance floor is paved in white Afyon marble while black Adapazarı
Adapazari
Adapazarı is a city in northwestern Turkey and the capital of Sakarya Province. The province itself was originally named Adapazarı as well. Adapazarı is a part of the densely populated region of the country, known as the Marmara Region. As of 2010, the city has a population of 560,876 ...
marble was used for the floors of the exhibition spaces and the stairs. All the exhibition areas are sealed off from daylight and the display cases are illuminated in keeping with modern museum techniques.