House with the Well (English Club)
Located next to the Big House grounds, the House with the Well was the center of Levantine social life in Bornova in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known as the "English Club." Its first owner was James La Fontaine. Transferred to Ege University in 1966, the building was restored in 2015 and today serves as the International Relations Coordination Office.
Introduction
One of Bornova's best-known historic buildings, Kuyulu Ev (the Well House) takes its name from the horse-driven well that stands immediately beside it.
During the Levantine era it was known as the "English Club", being the social centre of Bornova's English community.
History
- Late 19th century: The building was constructed by James La Fontaine. La Fontaine was also the owner of the mansion opposite Suphi Koyuncuoğlu Secondary School, today used as the Ege University Atatürk Principles and History of Revolution Research Centre.
- The La Fontaine period: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the building served as the social club of Bornova's Levantine community and was recorded under the name "Well Mansion."
- After James La Fontaine's death: The building passed to his wife Clara Lilian La Fontaine and their children Rhoda, Rodney and Audrey.
- 1966: The building was purchased by Ege University and passed into public ownership.
- 2000s: Used by various departments of Ege University; for a time it served as the Women's Issues Research Centre and the İzmir Research Centre.
- 2015: The building was renewed through a comprehensive restoration in keeping with its original architecture.
- 2025: Today it serves as the Ege University International Relations Coordination Office.
Architectural Features
- Plan: Two-storey, rectangular-plan with a central hall.
- Façade: Symmetrical arrangement, arched windows, stone ground floor and brick upper storey.
- Details:
- An entrance portico at the centre of the façade.
- Ceiling ornamentation and high ceilings in the interior.
- Traces of the horse-driven well preserved in the front garden.
- Style: A plain yet elegant Levantine example bearing the influences of English rural residential architecture.
Social and Cultural Significance
Kuyulu Ev holds an important place in the social life of Bornova's Levantine period.
In the late 19th century it served as a "club house" where English merchants and families gathered for meetings, dances, music and social events. Having acquired a public function during the Republican period through its incorporation into Ege University, it has become a building that represents Bornova's cultural continuity.
Location Info
Located next to the Big House grounds, the House with the Well was the center of Levantine social life in Bornova in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known as the "English Club." Its first owner was James La Fontaine. Transferred to Ege University in 1966, the building was restored in 2015 and today serves as the International Relations Coordination Office.
