TALAS (OTTOMAN STREET)

With their narrow streets where Muslims and non-Muslims once lived together, interwoven houses, and unique architecture, the Talas houses generally consist of one or two stories. Architecturally, they are built around a large central room called a sofa, which connects to a bedroom (harem) and a kitchen (tokana).

In two-story houses, the upper floor was typically used in the summer, while the lower floor served as the winter living area. The basement level often spans part or all of the house’s footprint. These basement areas, which were used for service purposes, storage, and as stables—and referred to as cellars (tol)—have been found to be connected to underground cities discovered in the region today.

The neighborhoods of Kiçiköy, Han, Harman, and Tablakaya are where the finest examples of Talas houses can be seen.

Thanks to street revitalization and restoration projects, the Ali Saip Pasha Street, which is home to 60 historical houses and mansions, and the Gölbaşı Square where the street is located, are now open to tourism.