Timeless Architecture of Turkish Houses

From the old and traditional to the new and modern, the design of Turkish homes has changed dramatically over the years. While in the past the Turks built houses based on local resources, today everything is for comfort and practicality. Over the past 20 years, Turkey has invested heavily in modernizing its real estate market. As a result, new developments and construction have sprung up across the country.

However, Turkey has not given up on the old Turkish home styles as they have become iconic due to their rare designs and layouts. While some homebuyers in Turkey dream of buying one as a renovation project, others, like the one in Safranbolu, have received UNESCO World Heritage status. Let's take a look at Turkey's timeless iconic houses and where to find them.

Turkish House Design

1: Ottoman Design

Wander the streets of ancient cities like Safranbolu or Beypazari and admire iconic Ottoman home designs. The layout of the homes features stone floors and white ceilings with brown window frames, promoting a Turkish home vibe.
The upstairs rooms are spread over two floors and feature a central space with multiple functions, including places to eat and sleep. Large windows also let in plenty of natural light, since residents had no electricity at the time.

2: Turkish Stone House

Today, refurbished stone houses are dotted along Turkey's west and south coasts, earning a lot of money. Izmir's seaside town of Alacati, featuring its whitewashed facades and blue shutters, is the perfect place to see them.

The white turkish huts are also a landmark in central Bodrum as they look like sugar cube houses scattered across the hills. Kayakoy in the Fethiye region is another place where renovated stone houses dominate the Turkish housing market. The difference between these houses is that they all have a large, shady courtyard to increase summer temperatures.

3: Cave Houses in Cappadocia

This is where it gets interesting. The Cappadocia region of Turkey is famous for tuff, which has historically been used by locals to carve houses. This style can also be seen at the Goreme Open Air Museum, which houses an ancient cave church from the 14th century.

Today, most homes are protected buildings, and when you buy a home, you must adhere to strict rules about what you want to change and what features you want to keep. To get an idea of ​​what it's like to live in a cave house, stay at one of the many famous cave hotels located throughout Cappadocia.

4:Yayla Plateau Houses

Go to the Kaka Mountains in Turkey and the design style has completely changed. The locals always build their houses out of wood from the surrounding forest. Also, they built it on stilts in the living room on the first floor for two reasons.

The first is that the cow lives in the ground, and the heat rising from the cow warms the house. Second, they want to protect themselves from bears and foxes that come out of the forest in search of food. The best places to see houses on the Yayla Plateau are Ayder Plateau and Uzungol.

5: Wooden Houses in Istanbul

Certain conservation groups in Turkey are working to preserve old wooden houses in Istanbul. These are built of wood, but the authorities banned the material in the 19th century because it increased the risk of fire; therefore, the houses are open-air museums depicting old times in Istanbul.

Designated as a place of global cultural influence by UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is part of Turkey's heritage. Other experts say the layout of the central room dates back to when the Turks were nomads. So far, 55 homes have been restored, but many more are waiting for work, and time is ticking until they end up in danger. Sogukcesem Street is the best place to see old wooden houses.

6: Ottoman Yali Villa

These houses belong to a group of old wooden houses in Istanbul, but deserve special mention for their iconic status. On the shores of the Bosphorus are luxury villas, also known as Yali Houses. Built by senior dignitaries during the Ottoman Empire, some were used as summer homes.

One feature that sets them apart is that they are the most expensive houses in Turkey and in some cases, like the Erbilgen yali mansion, the most expensive in the world. A Turkish villa in Yali even sold for $115 million. Some have been converted into hotels, restaurants and museums, while others are private residences for wealthy Turkish families.

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As you can see, Turkish houses are an integral part of Turkish culture and history. To learn more about Turkey and its real estate market, visit our blog about Turkey. We draw on the collective knowledge and experience of our team to tell our readers everything they need to know about owning a home in Turkey.

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We are Property Superiors International Realtors. We have helped thousands of buyers investing in real estate overseas to find their dream home. If you are considering buying a house in Turkey, please contact us today.