Ahmet Afif Pasha Mansion

The Ahmet Afif Pasha Mansion, with its four-story white structure and onion-shaped domes atop its towers, immediately catches the eye with its elegant silhouette on the Bosphorus coast. Located between the İstinye and Yeniköy districts, this historical mansion offers an impressive view with its green grove behind it and the blue waters in front, inspiring admiration in those passing through the Bosphorus.

History of Ahmet Afif Pasha Mansion

The Ahmet Afif Pasha Mansion was first built in the early 20th century as a simpler residence for Ferendiz Hanım, the daughter of Mustafa Reşit Pasha. Ahmet Afif Pasha, the Chief of Supply and a Ferik (Lieutenant General), purchased this structure from Ferendiz Hanım, had it demolished, and commissioned the famous architect Alexandre Vallaury to build the magnificent mansion we see today. The mansion takes its name from its second owner, Afif Pasha. Afif Pasha's son, Ali Fuat Bey, was a member of the Sultan's II. With the marriage of Abdülhamid's daughter Refia Sultan, a princess from the Ottoman dynasty also lived in this mansion for a while. When the Ottoman dynasty was sent into exile in 1924, the mansion was put up for sale and purchased by the Beirut businessman Misbah Muhayyeş (owner of the Pera Palas Hotel).

Between 1926 and 1932, the famous author Agatha Christie, who visited Istanbul several times, stayed in this mansion as a guest of Misbah Muhayyeş. Also, the 1975 television series Aşk-ı Memnu (Turkey's first television series), directed by Halit Refiğ, was filmed in this mansion. Having fallen into disrepair over the years, the building was purchased by businessman Kemal Uzan in 1983 and underwent extensive restoration. During this period, Afif Pasha Mansion began to be considered among the most valuable mansions on the Bosphorus. However, due to the financial problems of the Uzan Group, the mansion was seized by the state (TMSF) in 2004. In the auction held in 2009, Suzan Sabancı Dinçer purchased the mansion for 58 million TL. Today, the mansion, which is privately owned, belongs to the Sabancı Family and is not open to visitors.

Architecture of Ahmet Afif Pasha Mansion

The Afif Pasha Mansion, with its eclectic style blending Eastern and Western styles, is a unique example of early 20th-century Istanbul Art Nouveau architecture. The most characteristic elements of the four-story, symmetrical building are the towers on the sea facade and the onion-shaped domes crowning the tops of these towers. The main entrances are provided by the staircases on the right and left sides surrounding the mansion, and the land (street) facade has a simple appearance. The most impressive facade of the building is given to the sea side so that the Bosphorus view can be seen from every room; Indeed, the mansion's decorations and splendor are designed to be particularly striking when viewed from the water's edge. In this way, the mansion offers an unforgettable viewing experience to those passing by on the sea, both with its architectural details and its location.

Exploring Ahmet Afif Pasha Mansion by Yacht

Located on the Yeniköy coast, in a section where the Bosphorus speaks a heavier and more majestic language, the Ahmet Afif Pasha Mansion stands against the water, one of the structures that most clearly reflects the representative power of its location with its symmetry and facade arrangement. Viewed from the sea, the mansion is not only an aesthetically pleasing structure but also a stage that clearly reveals the status quo of the era and the conscious grandeur in its architectural choices. While its appearance might seem distant and closed from land, when viewed from water level, its proportions and layout become much more legible and achieve a balanced whole. As the yacht moves parallel to the shore, the symmetry of the facade gradually reveals why the building creates such a powerful visual impact. At this point, the architecture aims to represent rather than simply attract attention. The mansion relies not on ornamentation but on order and proportion to tell its own story. Stopping and observing here reminds us that the residences along the Bosphorus coast are not only living spaces but also forms of expression. Seeing the Ahmet Afif Pasha Mansion from this perspective gains a much deeper meaning when you sail along the Bosphorus on a chartered yacht. Those wishing to plan a yacht trip passing in front of the Ahmet Afif Pasha Mansion can compare the yachts in our fleet online according to their preferred duration and number of people, and can transparently examine how the budget is structured by selecting menu items and extra services via yatkiralama.net/en.