Ramazanoglu Mansion

Ramazanoglu Mansion

The Ramazanoğlu Mansion, which belonged to the Ramadanid family, was a government residence with a Harem, and it stands as one of the oldest examples of houses in Turkey. It served as an expression of the Emirate's modesty and also drew inspiration from Mamluk mansions in Egypt.

The south gate of the mansion features an inscription stating that the Haremlik section was completed by Halil Bey in the year 900 (1495 AD). However, this construction date does not represent the completion date for the entire building. The section completed in 1495 was an attachment that connected to a structure on the north side, which was built earlier. The Selamlık, a small mosque where government offices were once located, used to stand next to the Harem. Today, only a part with a dome and a section that may have been a former hamam (bathhouse) remain, along with other insignificant sections of bones or ruins of buildings.

Ramazanoglu Mansion

During the Ottoman era, the Ramazanoğlu Mansion served as a residence for various sultans visiting Adana, including Suleiman the Magnificent and Selim I.

The mansion underwent a major renovation in 1983, but unfortunately, it suffered damage during the 1998 Adana-Ceyhan earthquake. The General Directorate of Foundations restored the building to its former glory. In 2009, management and operations of the mansion were handed over to Çukurova University with the aim of converting it into a cultural center. Nowadays, the mansion hosts concerts and other performances, making it a popular venue for cultural events.

On the south section of the ground floor of the Ramazanoğlu Mansion, there is a stony area with stairs leading to the upper floors and two rooms on both sides. In the middle, there is a hallway, and on one side, there are some groin vaults. It is believed that one half of this part was used as Selamlık.

The mezzanine level of the mansion is composed of a kitchen, two rooms, and a hall in between. On the upper floor, there are bunk beds on the west end, and this space is situated west of the landing. Except for a verse from the Quran which reads "Küllema dahele aleyha Zekerriyya'l-mihrabe," translated as "Every time Zechariah entered the mihrab where Meryem was there, he found water and food given to her," there are no decorations in this area.