Yali of Kibrisli

The long, low Kibrisli Yali, built in 1775, was named for Kibrisli Mehmet Emin Pasha, the Cypriot grand vizier of Sultan Mahmut II who bought it in 1840. The yali has the typical cruciform plan but the main fountain usually located in the center of the grand hall of the selamlik has been relegated to the "winter garden," one of the corner rooms that is glazed on two sides. The fountain rises from a pebble-mosaic floor –a feature inherited from Byzantines.
Seven generations of the Kibrisli family have lived in the yali, and today it is still the family's summer home. Selim Dirvana, the senior member of the family, still remember the revolving door that once divided the gardens of the selamlik and the haremlik, permitting male members of the household to pass in and out without allowing others a glimpse of the women's side, which constituted the family quarters.

Kibrisli Mehmet Emin Pasa was a Grand Vizier during the reigns of three Sultans, This yali is situated near the old Küçüksu beach and it has a private pier of 64 meters. It is still owned by the same family. The Iraqi King Faysal, and the important poet Yahya Kemal are among the many guests who have stayed here. In 1980's when there was feverish land purchasing by Arabs, the orchard of this mansion, changed ownership. The British born wife of the Pasa wrote a book called “Thirty Years in the Harem” in 1872.