Mersin Atatürk House Museum

The museum stands in the middle of Mersin, on Atatürk Street, one of the city's busiest and most important avenues. It was built in 1897 as a home for the then German consul, Mr Christman, on the occasion of his marriage to a woman from the Mavromati family of Mersin. Its architect is unknown. Locals called it the Krisman Mansion, and later it became known as the Mavromati family mansion.

The building covers about 1,270 square metres. Until 1972 it belonged to the Tahinci family, and in that year Nebil Hayfavi bought it. It then served as Toros College until 1976. After that the house stood empty and, by a decision of the municipal council that same year, was renamed Atatürk House.

In 1980 it was decided to expropriate the building and begin restoration, and since 1982 it has been owned by the Ministry of Culture. The restoration lasted until 1992 and cost a very large sum by the standards of the day. The building opened officially on 12 October 1992 as the Atatürk House and Museum, so the story of the house runs from a foreign consul's home through a school to a museum devoted to the founder of the Republic.