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Odunpazarı is the historic old town neighborhood of Eskişehir, Turkey, where Turks traditionally lived. It’s a short walk south of the city center and is filled with several very nicely restored Ottoman homes and buildings.

Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Odunpazarı
Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Odunpazarı
Restored Ottoman buildings in Odunpazarı in Eskişehir, Turkey
Restored Ottoman buildings

 

Exploring Odunpazarı

The neighborhood is quite small and can easily be seen in an hour or two. If you decide to visit some of the many fine small museums in the area, you can make a full day out of it.

A scenic street in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
A scenic street
A narrow street in Odunpazarı in Eskişehir, Turkey
A narrow street
A street next to the Arasta Bazaar in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
A street next to the Arasta Bazaar


 

Hicri Sezen Park

The first part of the neighborhood most visitors will see is Hicri Sezen Park (Hicri Sezen Parkı). It sits just south of Atatürk Boulevard and includes a green area with a small square next to it. In the past, the entire park was an empty square where wood merchants would sell wood they brought from the mountains.

Hicri Sezen Park in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Hicri Sezen Park
Hicri Sezen Park in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Hicri Sezen Park

Like the rest of the neighborhood, the park and square are surrounded by Ottoman buildings. On the weekend we visited in November 2019, there was a women’s handicraft market, where local women were selling all sorts of handmade goods underneath tents.

Hicri Sezen Park in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Hicri Sezen Park

 

Malhatun Square

A block north of Hicri Sezen Park at Atatürk Boulevard is Malhatun Square (Malhatun Meydanı). It features a fountain with a statue of Malhun Hatun (d. 1323), the daughter of Sheikh Edebali (1206-1326) and the mother of Sultan Orhan, the second Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

Malhatun Square in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Malhatun Square

 

Sahaflar Square

A short walk east is Sahaflar Square (Sahaflar Meydanı), which features a fountain in the center. When we last visited, it looked like the fountain had recently been installed and some of the homes around the square were in the process of being renovated.

Sahaflar Square in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Sahaflar Square


 

Arasta Bazaar

Walking further south into the neighborhood is the Arasta Bazaar (Arasta Çarşısı). It was created in 2012 and hosts a touristic bazaar. Tenants include handicraft shops, restaurants, and a hotel. There’s also an attractive Ottoman fountain located there.

Arasta Bazaar in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Arasta Bazaar
Arasta Bazaar in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Arasta Bazaar
Fountain at the Arasta Bazaar in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Fountain

 

Roman Fountain

Hidden in a parking lot near the Arasta Bazaar is an original Roman fountain. There’s no information about it, other than it’s known to locals as the Roman Fountain (Roma Çeşmesi).

Roman fountain in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Roman fountain


 

Odunpazarı Homes

The colorful Odunpazarı Homes (Odunpazarı Evleri) are the most attractive feature of Odunpazarı. There are about 300 traditional Ottoman homes and mansions, of which many serve as restaurants, shops, boutique hotels, or museums. While you wander up and down the cobblestone streets, you can’t help but admire these colorful homes and buildings.

Ottoman home in Odunpazarı in Eskişehir, Turkey
Ottoman home
Ottoman homes in Odunpazarı in Eskişehir, Turkey
Ottoman homes

 

Odunpazarı Homes along Atatürk Boulevard

One of the best views of the homes comes from Atatürk Boulevard, where you can get a good look at the some of the finest examples of Ottoman architecture. A small collection of historic mansions faces the road with unobstructed views.

Ottoman mansions in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Ottoman mansions
Ottoman mansion in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Ottoman mansion
Abacı Konak Hotel in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Abacı Konak Hotel
Ottoman mansion in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Ottoman mansion

 

Atlı Han

Atlı Han sits southwest of Hicri Sezen Park. It’s a caravanserai built by Takattin Bey in the 1850s to house travelers and peasants coming from surrounding villages. The structure was rebuilt in 2006 and now hosts the Atlıhan Handicraft Bazaar (Atlıhan El Sanatları Çarşısı).

Atlı Han in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Atlı Han

Two floors of shops surround the courtyard, which contains a fountain in the center. The shops sell souvenirs as well as meerschaum products, jewelry, ceramics, glass, and more.

Atlı Han in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Atlı Han


 

Yağcızade Mansion

Just west of Atlı Han is the Yağcızade Mansion (Yağcızade Konağı), which dates back to 1765. It now serves as the Ataol Behramoğlu Library (Ataol Behramoğlu Kitaplığı).

Yağcızade Mansion in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Yağcızade Mansion

 

Kavakçılar Mansion

Next door is the Kavakçılar Mansion (Kavakçılar Konağı), which was built in 1852. I haven’t been able to find detailed information about it.

Kavakçılar Mansion in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Kavakçılar Mansion

 

Beylerbeyi Mansion

Directly across from the Kurşunlu Complex is the Beylerbeyi Mansion (Beylerbeyi Konağı). It was built in 1750 and once hosted a pharmacy museum.

Beylerbeyi Mansion in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Beylerbeyi Mansion


 

Museums in Odunpazarı

Odunpazarı is home to a wealth of different museums. They range from the mainstream to the quirky, covering subjects such as history, art, commerce, and more. Below I’ll write about most of the museums in the neighborhood. I haven’t had a chance to visit all of them yet, and there are others not included here. Many of the museums are hosted in Odunpazarı Homes.

 

Odunpazarı Modern Museum

Odunpazarı Modern Museum (Odunpazarı Modern Müzesi), or OMM, is the crown jewel of museums in Odunpazarı. It opened to the public on September 7, 2019.

Odunpazarı Modern Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Odunpazarı Modern Museum

 

Visiting Odunpazarı Modern Museum

Odunpazarı Modern Museum is open daily except Mondays. Admission is 100₺ (as of May 2024). I’m not exactly into modern art, but I was impressed by many of the pieces on display. We spent about a half hour at the museum.

Inside the entrance at Odunpazarı Modern Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Inside the entrance

The OMM Café is located at the museum, serving light breakfasts and healthy lunch options. There’s also the OMM Inn, a boutique hotel built partly inside an Ottoman-era Odunpazarı Home. It’s attached to the museum and includes 15 rooms.

OMM Café at Odunpazarı Modern Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
OMM Café

 

Odunpazarı Modern Museum Building

The building itself is a work of art. It was designed by Japanese architecture firm Kengo Kuma and Associates. The architect’s goal was to pay homage to the local architectural style using geometry, light, stacking, and timber. The building is beautifully lit by the sun at different times of day.

Odunpazarı Modern Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Odunpazarı Modern Museum
Odunpazarı Modern Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Odunpazarı Modern Museum
The sun setting on the Odunpazarı Modern Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
The sun setting on the building

One impressive feature of the interior is a twisted square “tube” running the entire height of the building. It’s made with stacked wooden planks and leads up to a skylight.

Twisted "tube" at Odunpazarı Modern Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Twisted “tube”
Upper part of the twisted "tube" at Odunpazarı Modern Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Upper part of the twisted “tube”
Twisted "tube" at Odunpazarı Modern Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Twisted “tube”


 

Exhibitions at Odunpazarı Modern Museum

Exhibitions at the Odunpazarı Modern Museum are spread over three floors. There are different types of art on display. They including paintings, sculptures, and new media art in order to appeal to a wide range of visitors.

Ground floor at Odunpazarı Modern Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Ground floor
First floor at Odunpazarı Modern Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
First floor
Second floor

Personally, the most impressive work in the museum is a bamboo sculpture by Tanabe Chikuunsai IV of Japan. He spent two weeks installing the sculpture, which was made specifically for OMM. The sculpture complements the architecture of the building. It can be viewed from the ground and upper floors.

Bamboo sculpture by Tanabe Chikuunsai IV, 2019 at Odunpazarı Modern Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Bamboo sculpture by Tanabe Chikuunsai IV, 2019
Bamboo sculpture by Tanabe Chikuunsai IV, 2019

Below are photos of a few other paintings and works of art that caught my eye. Many are part of the Erol Tabanca collection, which was acquired over a period of 15 years.

Untitled work by Erinç Seymen, 2008, Turkey
Untitled work by Erinç Seymen, 2008, Turkey
Queen No. 1 by Daron Mouradian, 2014, Armenia
Queen No. 1 by Daron Mouradian, 2014, Armenia
Siyah by Sabire Susuz, 2014, Turkey
Siyah by Sabire Susuz, 2014, Turkey
Paintings by Sinan Demirtaş, Turkey
Sleeping Girl by Hans Op de Beeck, Belgium at Odunpazarı Modern Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Sleeping Girl by Hans Op de Beeck, Belgium
Uyuyan Adam by Ramazan Bayrakoğlu, 2010, Turkey at Odunpazarı Modern Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Uyuyan Adam by Ramazan Bayrakoğlu, 2010, Turkey
Maya 2565 by SeungMo Park, 2017, South Korea
Maya 2565 by SeungMo Park, 2017, South Korea


 

Contemporary Glass Art Museum and City Memory Museum

Around the corner you’ll find two museums under one roof. The Contemporary Glass Art Museum (Çağdaş Cam Sanatları Müzesi) and the City Memory Museum (Kent Belleği Müzesi) are housed in a historic Odunpazarı Home.

Contemporary Glass Art Museum and City Memory Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Contemporary Glass Art Museum and City Memory Museum

Both museums are accessed on one ticket costing 50₺ (as of May 2024). The glass museum is on the ground floor while the city museum is on the first floor. The star of the show is the Contemporary Glass Art Museum, while the City Memory Museum, although very well done, isn’t nearly as interesting.

Contemporary Glass Art Museum and City Memory Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Contemporary Glass Art Museum and City Memory Museum

 

Contemporary Glass Art Museum

The Contemporary Glass Art Museum includes incredible glass works of art from both Turkish and international artists. It opened to the public on December 1, 2007,

Contemporary Glass Art Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Contemporary Glass Art Museum
Kaftan by Yasemin Aslan Bakiri, Turkey
Kaftan by Yasemin Aslan Bakiri, Turkey
Slowly Sinking VI-VII by Eeva Kasper, 2006, Estonia
Slowly Sinking VI-VII by Eeva Kasper, 2006, Estonia
Contemporary Glass Art Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Contemporary Glass Art Museum

The works are spread out over three galleries and are very impressive. The labels for each piece are in Turkish only, and most works are by Turkish artists.

Contemporary Glass Art Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Contemporary Glass Art Museum
Bloody by Yorgos Papadopoulos, 2010, Greece
Bloody by Yorgos Papadopoulos, 2010, Greece
Hiyerarşi by Esin Küçükbiçmen, 2008, Turkey
Hiyerarşi by Esin Küçükbiçmen, 2008, Turkey
Lezzet by Birnur Derya Geylani, 2014, Turkey
Lezzet by Birnur Derya Geylani, 2014, Turkey


 

City Memory Museum

The City Memory Museum, which opened in 2012, is broken down into several different sections. Each section is presented at an interactive station that includes photos and video interviews. The videos are subtitled in English.

City Memory Museum
City Memory Museum

The first gallery is broken down into five different sections, including history; cultural heritage (architecture, important historical figures, and tourism); ethnic culture; education; and arts and culture (culture, art, literature, theatre, cinema, music, and handicrafts).

Ethnic culture at the City Memory Museum
Ethnic culture

The second gallery is broken down into four different sections, including My Eskişehir; sports; economy (industry and commerce, agriculture, and mining); and nature (flora and fauna). A third gallery includes local works of art and photography and a children’s section.

Sports at the City Memory Museum
Sports

 

Courtyard

The courtyard is one of the most beautiful features of the building. It’s covered by a glass roof and includes a fountain in the center. Hanging above the fountain is a stunning glass sculpture by American artist Dale Chihuly.

Courtyard of the Contemporary Glass Art Museum and City Memory Museum
Courtyard
Courtyard of the Contemporary Glass Art Museum and City Memory Museum
Courtyard

 

Yılmaz Büyükerşen Wax Museum

A few steps away along Atatürk Boulevard is the Yılmaz Büyükerşen Wax Museum (Yılmaz Büyükerşen Balmumu Heykeler Müzesi). It contains about 200 wax sculptures of Turkish and international figures. Admission is 80₺ (as of May 2024) and it’s open daily except Mondays. We didn’t visit.

Yılmaz Büyükerşen Wax Museum


 

Eskişehir Hamam Museum

Back into the neighborhood was a construction site where a hamam and hamam museum were being built. It has since opened to the public and admission is 50₺ (as of May 2024). It’s open daily except Mondays. I hope to see the results on my next visit to the city.

Future site of the Hamam Museum
Future site of the Hamam Museum

 

ETO Museum

Heading towards Hicri Sezen Park is the ETO Museum (ETO Müze), presenting the Eskişehir Museum of Commerce and Industry (Eskişehir Ticaret ve Sanayi Müzesi). It opened on May 9, 2017 and is run by the city’s chamber of commerce (Eskişehir Ticaret Odası). The museum is open daily except Mondays and admission is free (as of May 2024). It’s hosted in a historic Odunpazarı Home.

ETO Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
ETO Museum

We didn’t expect much in the beginning, but we were pleasantly surprised with the museum and enjoyed our visit. The exhibits are presented nicely and with just enough information not to overwhelm you with reading. All of the displays are in both Turkish and English. We only spent about 20 minutes inside, but it was enough to see everything.

 

Ground Floor

The ETO Museum focuses on 3,000 years of commerce in the region, beginning on the ground floor with a display on King Midas. The famous king with the golden touch ruled over Phrygia, where modern Eskişehir is now located.

King Midas at the ETO Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
King Midas

 

First Floor

The first floor of the museum delves into important local industries such as agriculture, clothing, and Eskişehir as a hot spring resort destination.

First floor at the ETO Museum
First floor
Agriculture exhibit
Agriculture
Weaving and clothing industry exhibit
Weaving and clothing industry
Hot springs exhibit
Hot springs

Major local food companies ETİ and Erden are profiled as well. ETİ is famous all over Turkey for their cookies, crackers, and chocolates, while Erden once made chocolates and candies.

ETİ products at the ETO Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
ETİ products
Erden chocolates and candies
Erden chocolates and candies
Food exhibit
Food

Further displays include information on the brick and roof tile production as well as terra cotta arts. The brick and roof tile industry developed in Turkey in the 1920s while terra cotta pottery and tiles have been produced since Phrygian times.

Brick and roof tile industry at the ETO Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Brick and roof tile industry
Terra cotta at the ETO Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Terra cotta

One section is dedicated to meerschaum arts. There’s an abundant supply of meerschaum, a soft white clay mineral, near Eskişehir. It’s mostly used to make tobacco pipes, and the Meerschaum Gallery at the Kurşunlu Complex is a great place to see more examples.

Meerschaum at the ETO Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Meerschaum


 

Second Floor

On the second floor, there’s an exhibit about Nasreddin Hoca, a 13th century Seljuk satirist from the nearby town of Sivrihisar. He was famous for his anecdotes and sense of humor and is depicted riding backwards on his donkey. A few of his anecdotes have been translated into English to accompany the exhibit.

Nasreddin Hoca at the ETO Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Nasreddin Hoca
Nasreddin Hoca at the ETO Museum
Nasreddin Hoca

Another exhibit is dedicated to banking in Eskişehir. An original teller station from Eskişehir Bank (Eskişehir Bankası) as well as a handful of counting machines, cash registers, typewriters, and other equipment are on display.

Eskişehir Bank teller station at the ETO Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Eskişehir Bank teller station
Machines used in banking and commerce
Machines used in banking and commerce

The final section of the second floor includes information on Ottoman coin production. Weights and measures feature in the exhibit.

Weights and measures and Ottoman coin production
Weights and measures and Ottoman coin production

 

Exit

At the exit, there’s a model of a Devrim. In 1961, Devrim was the first automobile designed and manufactured in Turkey. Only four cars and 10 engines were made, and only one of those cars survives to this day. It’s on display at the TÜLOMSAŞ Museum in Eskişehir.

Devrim at the ETO Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Devrim

Also at the exit is a model of a Karakurt, which was the first ever locomotive designed and manufactured in Turkey. It was made in 1961 and was in service for 15 years.

Karakurt at the ETO Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Karakurt


 

Independence Museum

The Independence Museum (Kurtuluş Müzesi) sits next door. It tells the story of the Turkish War of Independence (Kurtuluş Savaşı) and is housed in the Mestanoğlu Halil Mansion (Mestanoğlu Halil Konağı), which is one of the impressive Odunpazarı Homes. It was built in the second half of the 19th century by Mestanoğlu Halil Bey (d. 1880) and was acquired by the city in 2001. The mansion underwent restoration in 2002.

Independence Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Independence Museum

Admission to the Independence Museum is 50₺ (as of May 2024) and it’s open daily except Mondays. There’s very little to interest non-Turkish speakers, as most information is in Turkish. We spent about a half hour inside, mostly admiring the mansion.

 

First Floor

Exhibits start on the first floor, where there’s a room dedicated to caricatures depicting important figures in the war. In the next room is a video presentation about the war running on a loop, but it’s all in Turkish.

Caricatures at the Independence Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Caricatures

The main hall on the first floor contains a timeline of newspaper clippings reporting on important events during the war. Again, they’re all in Turkish. There’s also a wall with changing images as well as photos of Turkish war heroes.

First floor at the Independence Museum
First floor
Wall with changing images
Wall with changing images
Turkish war heroes at the Independence Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Turkish war heroes

The third room on the first floor includes more newspaper reports. The fourth room contains figures of General İsmet İnönü (1884-1973) sitting at a desk while Commander Fahrettin Altay (1880-1974) stands next to him. On the desk is an interactive map outlining the Turkish war strategy.

Strategy room at the Independence Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Strategy room

 

Ground Floor

Back downstairs, there’s a children’s area as well as a room where visitors can take photos with their choice of background image.

The final room includes an interactive photo archive, where visitors can view photos from the Turkish War of Independence. This room was the most interesting to me because of the beautiful frescoes on the wall.

Photo archives with a fresco on the wall
Photo archives with a fresco on the wall

One fresco depicts a woman in a rowboat, while a smaller one includes a scene from Istanbul with the Maiden’s Tower in the foreground. It’s quite possible the paintings were made in 1919 by a Greek artist from Istanbul named Sotiris.

Fresco of Maiden's Tower at the Independence Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Fresco of Maiden’s Tower


 

Anadolu University Republic History Museum

The Anadolu University Republic History Museum (Anadolu Üniversitesi Cumhuriyet Tarihi Müzesi) sits along Atatürk Boulevard north of Hicri Sezen Park. It covers the history of the Turkish Republic.

Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Anadolu University Republic History Museum

The museum is open daily except Mondays from 10am to 5pm. Admission is free (as of May 2024). There are some interesting exhibits and artifacts on display, but all of the information is in Turkish. We took about a half hour to browse through the museum.

Entrance to the Anadolu University Republic History Museum
Entrance

 

Museum Building

The Anadolu University Republic History Museum is housed in the former Turan Numune School (Turan Numune Mektebi), which was built in 1916. The building was acquired by Anadolu University (Anadolu Üniversitesi) in 1989, restored, and opened to the public as the Republic History Museum on April 23, 1994. The museum was closed to visitors in 2013 for renovation, and it reopened on March 21, 2019.

Anadolu University Republic History Museum in March 2013 in Eskişehir, Turkey
Anadolu University Republic History Museum in March 2013
Rear of the Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Rear of the Anadolu University Republic History Museum

 

Ground Floor

The collection is spread out over the two floors of the building. First, on the west wing of the ground floor is a section on Turkish history. It includes information on the Ottoman period and displays swords and rifles.

Turkish history exhibit at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Turkish history
Swords, daggers, coins, and medals at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum
Swords, daggers, coins, and medals

The corridor connecting the two wings features the Ottoman coat of arms, a speech by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938) to the people of Eskişehir on January 15, 1923, and models of ships that participated in the Turkish War of Independence.

On the east wing is a section dedicated to the Gallipoli campaign of World War I and the Turkish War of Independence. Artifacts used by soldiers from both wars are displayed in glass cases. There are also photos and information about the role of Eskişehir during that time.

Gallipoli campaign and the Turkish War of Independence gallery at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Gallipoli campaign and the Turkish War of Independence
Items used by British soldiers at Gallipoli at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Items used by British soldiers at Gallipoli
Items used by Ottoman soldiers at Gallipoli at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Items used by Ottoman soldiers at Gallipoli

One final room contains the names of 1603 people from Eskişehir who dğied in the Balkan Wars, World War I, and the Turkish War of Independence.


 

First Floor

A section at the top of the stairs on the first floor deals with the alleged coup attempt on July 15, 2016. It includes photos of the aftermath and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan leading memorial ceremonies.

Information about the 2016 coup attempt at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum
Information about the 2016 coup attempt
Information about the 2016 coup attempt at the Anadolu University Republic History Museu
Information about the 2016 coup attempt

One room contains the personal belongings and photos of Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic. On display are some of his shirts, shoes, neckties, tea sets, cutlery, and more.

Room containing Atatürk's personal belongings at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum
Room containing Atatürk’s personal belongings
Clothing worn by Atatürk at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Clothing worn by Atatürk

The next rooms features events from the Republic period, mostly focused on the social and cultural reforms put into place by Atatürk. One of those rooms displays newspapers announcing the death of Atatürk in 1938.

Atatürk's reforms gallery at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum
Atatürk’s reforms
The 1925 "Hat Law" at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum
The 1925 “Hat Law”
A 1928 newspaper with Atatürk's alphabet reform at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
A 1928 newspaper with Atatürk’s alphabet reform
Newspapers announcing Atatürk's death at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Newspapers announcing Atatürk’s death

The next section includes the history of Eskişehir, with information about local development of education, industry, and more. One item that caught my eye was a magazine featuring a Greek-Turkish friendship match between football clubs Thermaikos FC and Eskişehir Demirspor in August 1952.

Magazine featuring a Greek-Turkish friendship football match at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Magazine featuring a Greek-Turkish friendship football match

An ethnography room follows, where works from Eskişehir and Central Anatolia are on display. It includes, clothing, jewelry, and other items.

Ethnography room at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Ethnography room
Ethnography room at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Ethnography room

The final two rooms of the museum are dedicated to the first occupant of the building, the Turan Numune School. They include photos, a timeline of the school’s history, and equipment used at the school.

Turan Numune School at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Turan Numune School
Turan Numune School timeline at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Turan Numune School timeline
Items from the Turan Numune School at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Items from the Turan Numune School
Items from the Turan Numune School at the Anadolu University Republic History Museum in Eskişehir, Turkey
Items from the Turan Numune School


 

İsmail Alkılıçgil Photography House (Permanently Closed)

A block south of Hicri Sezen Park down a narrow road is the Ismail Alkılıçgil Photography House (İsmail Alkılıçgil Fotoğraf Evi). It’s a photography museum with great photos of old Eskişehir. It was named after the photographer who lived in the house until his death in 2003. On my most recent trip in November 2019, I found the museum to be closed.

Ismail Alkılıçgil Photography House in Eskişehir, Turkey
Ismail Alkılıçgil Photography House

 

ETİ City and Immigration Museum

Further south across the street from the Kurşunlu Complex is the ETİ City and Immigration Museum (ETİ Şehir ve Göç Müzesi). Apparently, it’s been slated to open since 2015 but there has been no progress to date (as of May 2024).

ETİ City and Immigration Museum in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
ETİ City and Immigration Museum

 

Yeşil Efendi Mansion

Finally, uphill behind the Kurşunlu Complex is the Yeşil Efendi Mansion (Yeşil Efendi Konağı), which was built in 1890. It opened in 1984 as an ethnographic museum presenting 19th century life in Eskişehir. The museum is open daily except Mondays and admission is 20₺ (as of May 2023).

Yeşil Efendi Mansion in Odunpazarı, Eskişehir, Turkey
Yeşil Efendi Mansion

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938), the founder of the Turkish Republic, stayed in the house during the Turkish War of Independence in 1920. Some rooms host exhibits on his visit. A few more beautiful Ottoman homes line the street as well.

Ottoman home
Ottoman home

 

Map of Odunpazarı

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Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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