İsmet İnönü Memorial House and Library

Izmir İsmet İnönü Memorial House and Library is the birthplace of İsmet İnönü, the second President of the Republic of Türkiye and a hero of the Turkish War of Independence. Today, the building serves as a memorial house and specialized library and is located in the Kemeraltı neighborhood of the Konak district in İzmir.

History

The history of the house begins with the İnönü family’s settlement in İzmir. Reşit Bey from Malatya, who was studying law in Istanbul, served as Deputy Inquiry Judge at the İzmir Courthouse when his wife Cevriye Hanım gave birth to their son Mustafa İsmet in 1884. At the time, the building stood in the “Mekke Yokuşu” street of the Sarı Hafız neighborhood.

İsmet İnönü spent his school holidays in İzmir while a student at the Military Academy and often expressed his deep attachment to the city in his memoirs. During his presidency, the then Mayor of İzmir, Dr. Behçet Uz, purchased the house on behalf of the municipality. After 1950, when the building was slated for disposal, it was acquired by businessman Şerif Remzi Reyent and gifted to Ayla Ökmen, a close associate of İnönü. Later, Ökmen donated the house to the İnönü Foundation. After undergoing various restoration efforts, it was opened to the public in 1999.

In 2013, under a protocol signed between the Konak Municipality and the İnönü Foundation, joint management was established. Most recently, in 2018, a comprehensive renovation under the guidance of Professor Dr. Engin Berber brought the site up to museum standards and added a specialized library. On September 24, 2018—the 134th anniversary of İnönü’s birth—the site reopened under the name “Izmir İsmet İnönü Memorial House and Library.”

Location

The Izmir İsmet İnönü Memorial House and Library is located at İnönü (842.) Street No: 20, Türkyılmaz Neighborhood, Konak District. The building is situated on one of the stepped and sloping streets of İzmir’s historic Kemeraltı district.

Architectural Features

The structure is a two-story, garden-equipped residence. From the entrance hall, two rooms lie to the right and left, with the kitchen opposite. The kitchen features period-appropriate containers, water jugs, an old gas stove, and a panel displaying recipes by Mevhibe Hanım.

Upstairs, reached by a wooden staircase, is a hall and two rooms. This section displays Mevhibe Hanım’s clothing, İsmet İnönü’s personal belongings, documents, photographs, and materials related to the Treaty of Lausanne negotiations. The collection also includes letters exchanged by the İnönü couple, coins, badges, and caricatures from the period. One of the smaller rooms has been arranged as a listening room, where visitors can hear İnönü’s speech marking the 10th anniversary of the Republic in his own voice.

Library and Collections

The specialized library, established during the 2018 renovation, houses source materials related to İsmet İnönü and his era. The memorial house also displays documents, personal items, and photographs connected to İnönü’s private life.

Current Function

The memorial house holds a significant place in İzmir’s cultural memory and preserves its historical identity as the birthplace of İsmet İnönü. Each year, it hosts various events on the anniversaries of İnönü’s birth (September 24), death (December 25), and the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne (July 24). Additionally, cultural activities such as chess tournaments are organized to engage young people.