Portakal Hafız Konağı

Smells like history

The building was allocated to unnecessary associations and could be evaluated in different ways that people could benefit from.

Very nice structure, very useful activities are held in the youth center

It is a mansion belonging to Hafız Rüştü Efendi who joined the Ottoman Deputies Assembly as Izmit deputy. Due to the roundness of her face, Hafız Rüştü Efendi was called Orange Hafız. The mansion was built in the 19th century, when French journalist Claude Farrare came to Izmit in 1922 to meet with Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, he made the meeting in this mansion and stayed here. The mansion was a wreck in my childhood, it was ruined. I was really upset when almost all the fire burned in 2014. Later, with the restoration work of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, it gained its current appearance, but I would prefer it to be considered as a museum and not to be allocated to any institution or organization. When we went to see the mansion, we did not have a chance to visit inside, although it looked great from the outside. I hope it will be opened as a museum in the future.

The place where the Diyanet's youth programs are organized

It's a historical building. Big and luxurious. restored. Wooden and marble flooring. Overlooking the sea, I think it reflects its spirituality.

I can't understand why such a beautiful mansion is being used within the municipality instead of opening it up to the public. I hope it gets converted to museum status.

The place is beautiful. I did not come out or not. The floors are beautiful. There is a lot of bird and seagull chirping. The Women and Democracy Association (Kadem) and the Women's Family and Youth Center (Kagem) use this building. We planted trees here for World Environment Day on June 5th.