Denizli City Museum

DENİZLİ CITY MUSEUM

Opened to visitors in 2024, Denizli City Museum which sustains Denizli’s cultural heritage has become one of the city’s landmark buildings, securing its place in the collective urban memory.

History and Architecture of the Museum  :The museum building was constructed in the 1940s. Initially, the structure served as workshop units (ateliers) of Yusuf Batur Vocational and Technical High School. Architect of the building was Selçuk MILAR, student and assistant of German architect Paul Bonatz, who came to Türkiye during the Early Republican Period to help shape Türkiye’s national architectural approach.

The workshop units reflect an architectural approach aligned with the economic conditions of the period in which they were constructed. These structures, shaped by using local materials, are identified with 1929 economic crisis, inward-looking economic model and nationalist ideology. Its architectural style reflects an effort to harmonize modernism with national identity. In terms of form, material, and construction technique, the buildings exhibit a simple yet modern character. Reinforced concrete and stone were used together in the construction.

Transformation of Workshops into a City Museum: The workshop buildings, rescued from a non-utilizable and abandoned appearance, have undergone an extensive restoration process. These restored historic structures have been opened to public use as Denizli City Museum, becoming an important asset of the city. The building consists three single-storey parallel blocks connected by a single-storey rectangular block; between these parallel blocks, courtyard-type open areas exist. The building, dominated by an international style, has an understated aesthetic and features characteristics such as unity of form and function, cubic mass, and long spans.

Exhibition Halls (9 Halls)

The museum consists of nine exhibition halls that present the history, culture, art, and traditions of Denizli, as well as its development in areas such as commerce and craftsmanship from the Stone Age until today.

 • Hall 1 – Urban History (Early Period): Kocabaş hominid (Homo Erectus), fossils, artefacts from Ancient Times, the Roman and Byzantine periods, the Crusades, and arrival of the Turks to Denizli are exhibited.

• Hall 2 – Urban History (Turkish Periods): Artefacts related to Turkish activities in Denizli, including coins and objects from the Seljuk, Inançoğulları, Germiyanoğulları, and Ottoman periods, as well as inscriptions from the Grand Mosque and Honaz Sultan Murad II Mosque, are exhibited.

• Hall 3 - Urbanization and Trade:  Excavation finds from İlbadı Cemetery, models of historical buildings, dioramas of traditional occupations and the traditions of Ahi Community, are exhibited. Commercial culture of the Ottoman period (coins, weights and measures) and sailcloth woven in Buldan are also presented.

• Hall 4 - Weaving: The museum presents the process of cotton production and its transformation into fabric, featuring traditional tools like the spindle and spinning wheel, as well as displays of traditional clothing, jewellery, weaving looms, and tailoring practices. It also highlights the local Efe culture, wool production, and the 850-year-old Çal Aşağıseyit Sheep Water-Crossing and Shepherd Festival.

• Hall 5 - Agriculture and Industry: Dioramas of agricultural life, artefacts related to transportation culture and industrialization, as well as items showcasing thermal and underground resources (such as stones) and archaeological cities are exhibited.

 • Hall 6 - The War of Independence: This hall highlights Denizli’s role in the Turkish War of Independence and Atatürk’s visit to the city. It features a diorama of Atatürk and Mufti Ahmet Hulusi Efendi, as well as artefacts including the Denizli Sanjak, weapons, books, and handwritten manuscripts of the era.

 • Hall 7 - Music in Denizli: Mannequins and works of world-renowned vocal artists from Denizli, including Hayri Dev, Özay Gönlüm, and Talip Özkan, are displayed.

 • Hall 8 – Daily Life in Denizli: This hall presents Denizli’s daily life and culinary culture through traditional food dioramas and related items for visitors to explore.

• Hall 9 – Art in Denizli:  This hall is dedicated to the world-renowned painter İbrahim Çallı and features a mannequin of Çallı, along with paintings and works by other famous artists from Denizli.