Abstract:

The changes in the following period of the declaration of Rescript of Tanzimat (1839), required renovations in many fields. During this period, benefitting from the civil rights and the possibilities provided by the legal regulations made, non-muslims, foreigners, and Levantines also constituted their own educational institutions. In the second half of the 19th century, it is possible to say that a significant physical transformation took place in İzmir which was one of the important port cities of the era with its large trade volume. It is observed that Levantines, foreigners, and non-muslims who were bourgeoisified thanks to the given equal ownership rights to each nation in the cities and especially by the handover of the capital, also constructed many educational buildings while creating their own urban environment in the areas which they preferred. In the meantime, it is known that the wealthy non-muslims, who belonged particularly to the merchant class, founded small-scaled schools and granted their private dwellings to their communities to be used with an educational function. In the article; the building that is used as Republic Education Museum will be dealt with, which was founded in the period in question in İzmir and whose patron and primary function remain controversial. The place and phases of the monument within the architectural activities of the era will be dwelled upon, its conservation process and current function will be discussed.

Keywords: