Entertainment venues of the past, ghost places of today: Büyükada Countryside Taverns

The research article conducted by Asst. Prof. Dr. Amil Faruk Gezen from Istanbul Gelişim University (IGU), Faculty of Fine Arts (FAF), Department of Interior Architecture, and published in the 2026 volume 19, issue 4 of the international peer-reviewed journal Urban Academy (Kent Akademisi) sheds light on the intangible cultural heritage and architectural history of Büyükada.

Living Witnesses of Social Life and Architectural Transformation

The study examines "countryside tavern" (kır gazinosu) spaces from an architectural perspective. These spaces developed under the influence of Westernization policies during the final years of the Ottoman Empire (especially post-Tanzimat) and met the need for socializing in harmony with nature, away from the density of urban life. The research indicates that Büyükada became an attractive center for these structures due to its natural topography and climatic advantages. It reveals that countryside taverns were not merely entertainment facilities, but multi-layered indicators for understanding the architectural codes and urban-society relations of the period.

One of the most prominent socio-cultural findings of the study is the role of these spaces in the transformation of gender roles. It is emphasized through architectural and historical data that women, who were not accepted into traditional urban coffeehouses of the period, could easily enter rural coffeehouses and countryside taverns outside the urban settlements. Consequently, countryside taverns were among the first public daily spaces where women began to integrate into social life.

Spatial Change Analysis Through 4 Core Indicators

Based on a qualitative, historical, and field-based methodology, the research cross-references archival documents such as maps and postcards of the period, travelogues, and oral histories with on-site observational findings. Twelve historic tavern sites identified across Büyükada were meticulously analyzed under the following four main themes to track the legibility of identity, integrity, and functional continuity:

• Name (Preservation of Identity): Whether the historical name of the tavern survives in current official documents, collective memory, or spatial traces such as signage.

• Location (Spatial Continuity): Whether the structure still exists in its original location on the island and maintains its historical connection with its environmental context.

• Structure (Physical Presence): The current existence and architectural integrity of the tavern buildings or their extensions were surveyed.

• Function (Continuity of Use): The extent to which the venue preserves its entertainment and public socialization functions or how it has evolved into new uses (such as residential space).

The Vast Majority are "Ghost Places", Only Two Retain Their Authenticity

Comprehensive field studies reveal striking data showing that the historical entertainment centers of Büyükada have today been largely abandoned or have lost their original identity. According to the research findings:

• Among the 12 examined tavern spaces, Yücetepe Countryside Tavern (Aya Yorgi) and Lunapark Countryside Tavern were found to best preserve their architectural integrity, spatial configurations, and original entertainment-socialization functions along with period characteristics today.

• Some venues that attracted great interest in the past, such as the Yenibağ Tavern, closed and were demolished in the first quarter of the twentieth century. Their locations have now become entirely covered with pine trees, gaining forest status, leaving no architectural remains behind.

• On the other hand, famous spaces of the period like Manol's Tavern (Romantika Tavern), well-known for its roasted lamb, have completely lost their tavern function today and started to be used as private residential properties.

Pointing out that previous studies mostly addressed taverns superficially through their social functions or gastronomic cultures, this research bridges a major gap in the literature by examining countryside taverns as an independent architectural typology. Offering evaluations in light of architectural conservation theories to prevent physical degradation and memory loss, this study reiterates the importance of social awareness in preserving historical sites.