an unexpected find
in eminönü:
iş bankası museum
words by irem
photos by iş bankası museum
The Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque, Spice Bazaar, and New Mosque are among the most popular destinations for the tourists, both local and foreign. The most crowded alleyway of Eminönü is the one that through the Spice Bazaar which may become too overwhelming at certain times. And you may find yourself far from the crowd, maybe looking for the famous sweet shops like Hacı Bekir or Hafız Mustafa or a calm café corner like Rumi Kahve & Çikolata towards Sirkeci, and probably notice an old, pink and imposing stone building.
This building was originally open as a post office in 1892, during the Ottoman Empire era reigned by Sultan Abdülhamid II. You almost wish it was still a working post office and you were working there like the most basic postman. Alas, in 1927, the building turned over to a bank called “İş Bankası”. This historical branch of the bank, one of the oldest banks in Turkey, is named after the New Mosque, which is located right next door. Besides its architectural beauty, the building is also a museum, housing very precious items from the banking history of Turkey.
Eighty-three years’ worth of historical documents, photographs, films, and objects accumulated from throughout Turkey, as well as souvenirs rooted in the hearts and memories of many, are collected and documented in this historical museum. The exhibits have been restored to prolong their life, so as to be available for generations to come. These collections are highly valued materialistically by experts, but they are also a reflection of beloved memories, thus emotionally priceless for contributors and guests. The historical building that houses these precious memories was reorganized in order to meet all of the needs of a modern museum, yet retains its historical characteristics. The fixed furniture and details, dating to the time when the building functioned as a bank, have been preserved in their original structure.
The Main Safe and Safe Deposit Rooms in the basement are open for exhibition. I must confess that the most interesting and mysterious part of this museum is the eerie safe deposit box rooms. Some of the safe deposit boxes have been left open to showcase their contents—one contains a coffee cup and grinder, while another contains a comic book. Viewing those forgotten souvenirs is emotionally gripping. Estimating the current value of these is objects is insignificant— however, these ordinary objects, without a doubt, carried extreme value to their owners once upon a time. In addition to the permanent collection, the museum also hosts temporary exhibitions.
