Category: Commercial
Type: Store
Location: Asmalı Mescit, İstiklal Ave. Beyoğlu
Date: 19th Century / 1920-1922
Period: Ottoman Empire
Designer: Unknown
Photos: İKSV
Located on Istiklal Avenue in Beyoglu, the Elhamra Inn stands as a prominent masterpiece of the First National Architecture movement, constructed between 1920 and 1922 on the site of the former French Theater which was destroyed by fire in the 19th century. Commissioned by Said Arif Bey and often associated with the design influence of architect Vedat Tek, the structure is historically significant for being one of Istanbul’s earliest reinforced concrete buildings and for housing the legendary Elhamra Cinema, which hosted Turkey’s first sound film screenings. Architecturally, the building reflects the Neo-Ottoman aesthetic of its era, characterized by its ornate facade featuring turquoise Kutahya tiles, elegant pointed arches, and intricate mukarnas carvings. Today, the passage remains a vital cultural landmark that bridges the late Ottoman period’s transitional styles with the early republican era’s urban identity.
