Category: Public / Educational
Type: Town Hall, Library
Location: Caferağa, Rıhtım Ave. Kadıköy
Date: 1912-1914
Designer: Yervant Terziyan
Period: Ottoman Empire
Photos: Gazete Kadıköy (Kamil Çağlayan), Kaan Çorbacı
The building currently housing the History, Literature, and Art Library (TESAK) on the Kadıköy waterfront was originally constructed between 1912 and 1914 as the Kadıköy Municipality Building, known then as the Şehremaneti. Designed by the Armenian-Ottoman architect Yervant Terziyan, this landmark serves as a premier example of the First National Architecture Movement, which sought to revive classical Ottoman aesthetics within a modern administrative framework. Its exterior is defined by a symmetrical facade featuring pointed arches, intricate tile decorations, and wide overhanging eaves, all characteristic of the neoclassical Ottoman revival style. After serving as the municipal headquarters for decades, the structure underwent a meticulous restoration and was repurposed in 2014 to serve as a cultural sanctuary, blending its rich administrative heritage with a new mission dedicated to intellectual and artistic preservation.
