Also known as Çamlıca Girls’ High School, the Ahmet Ratıp Pasha Pavilion is located in Istanbul’s Üsküdar district, parcel no. 15, block 27. The pavilion was built between 1900 and 1905 as a summer residence for Ahmet Ratıp Pasha, then Governor-General and Commander of the Hejaz, by the renowned architect Kemalettin Bey.

In 1909, the pavilion was expropriated by the Minister of Education, Şükrü Bey, including its outbuildings and furnishings. Initially serving as a private girls’ college, it was renamed Çamlıca İnas Sultanisi (Çamlıca Girls’ High School) in 1915. The school was closed in 1922 and reopened between 1923 and 1934 as Çamlıca Girls’ Middle School. After another closure from 1934 to 1939, it resumed operation in 1939 as Çamlıca Girls’ Boarding High School, first functioning as an academic building and later as a dormitory and dining hall. The pavilion was completely vacated in 1986.

In 2008, the school was converted into Çamlıca Girls’ Anatolian High School. In 2018, it was granted the status of a school with a special program and project focus. In 2019, it officially reverted to its original name: Çamlıca Girls’ High School.

Built on a masonry basement, the pavilion features a timber-framed ground floor, first floor, and attic arranged in an axial and symmetrical plan. The basement is made of cut limestone, while the upper floors are clad in wood. The architectural design reflects elements of Art Nouveau and Baroque styles. The façades feature projections, balconies, wide eaves, and brackets. Curved projections and eaves create light and shadow effects on the façades, referencing Ottoman Baroque aesthetics.

“Floral Art Nouveau” motifs are visible in the windows, doors, balconies, railings, and column capitals. The structure also includes a stained-glass roof lantern and Art Nouveau tiles in the bathrooms. In a declaration presented at a 1990 UNESCO conference held in Vienna, attended by international Art Nouveau experts, the following statement emphasized the building’s architectural and historical significance:

“We acknowledge that the Çamlıca Girls’ High School (formerly the Ahmet Ratıp Pasha Mansion), designed by the renowned Turkish architect Kemalettin Bey between 1900 and 1905, is an outstanding example of the Art Nouveau style in Istanbul and support its protection under conservation oversight.”

The signatories noted that the pavilion’s importance lies particularly in its scale, monumentality, and the exceptional craftsmanship and care in applying the Art Nouveau style to a timber structure.

As ALBA İnşaat, our restoration work, which began in 2021, is currently ongoing.