Location Info
Mansion
Kazımdirik
Belhomme Mansion — originally known as Xenopoulou Mansion — was built in the 1880s by the English-origin Wolf Brothers. One of the mansion's first known owners was Greek-Catholic merchant Pierre Xenoupoulo, followed by the Belhomme Family. The family's last Levantine representative, Helen Armand, was among the mansion's residents in the mid-20th century. In the 1950s, ownership passed to a Turkish family, and in the 1960s the mansion was nationalized...
Belhomme Mansion (Ataturk Library)
Belhomme Mansion — originally known as Xenopoulou Mansion — was built in the 1880s by the English-origin Wolf Brothers. One of the mansion's first known owners was Greek-Catholic merchant Pierre Xenoupoulo, followed by the Belhomme Family. The family's last Levantine representative, Helen Armand, was among the mansion's residents in the mid-20th century. In the 1950s, ownership passed to a Turkish family, and in the 1960s the mansion was nationalized...
Introduction
Belhomme Mansion — originally known as Xenopoulou Mansion — was built in the 1880s by the English-origin Wolf Brothers. Among its first known owners were Greek-Catholic merchant Pierre Xenoupoulo, followed by the Belhomme family. The family's last Levantine representative, Helen Armand, was among the mansion's residents in the mid-20th century.
In the 1950s, ownership passed to a Turkish family, and in the 1960s the mansion was nationalised. It subsequently served for many years as a district governor's office, health clinic and Bornova Municipality Conservatoire.
Architectural Features
Belhomme Mansion is a distinguished example of Levantine and European civic architecture.
Front Elevation
- Grand double-arm staircase
- Ionic-capital columns
- Façade composition reflecting Renaissance aesthetic sensibility
These column capitals are used today as the symbol of Belhomme Mansion.
Rear Elevation
- Natural-stone columns with brick jointing
- Spacious veranda enriched with arches
- Influences of late 19th – early 20th-century Italian civic architecture
Plan and Interior
- Rectangular plan
- Central hall with flanking rooms (typical Levantine arrangement)
- Two opposing entrances
- Preserved plasterwork, cast-iron details and lofty ceilings
The garden comprises a small forecourt at the front and a more expansive landscaped area to the rear, offering a dual spatial arrangement.
Historical Recollections
The mansion was among the distinguished social gathering places of pre-Republican Bornova.
A notable memory from the 1950s–60s is recounted as follows:
In the mid-20th century, Emel Korutürk (wife of the sixth President, Fahri Korutürk) and her family stayed at this mansion during summer visits to Bornova.
Restoration and Present Use
Belhomme Mansion was restored in 1997 by the Kavala family. The building was renovated with its original architectural elements preserved and designated by Bornova Municipality as the Atatürk Library.
Today, the mansion serves as an important cultural and educational venue for:
- Researchers,
- Students,
and Bornova residents.
Whilst preserving the elegance of Levantine architecture, it carries Bornova's memory forward through its modern library function.
