Hotel Valide Hanim Konak (Lefkosia, Cyprus)

Valide Hanım Konak (mansion) was built by Mehmet Küçük, the father of Dr. Fazıl Küçük, the leader of the Turkish Cypriot people, for his daughter Akile Hanım. The building, whose construction was completed in 1931, is a rare mansion within the walled city of Lefkoşa (Nicosia), both from the point of view of its architecture and location. It was bult using stone-monastery technique. Akile Hanım married to her husband, Turgut Arca, a teacher, in this mansion, gave birth to four children and lived here until the last years of her life. Another mansion that belonged to Akile Hanım's brother, Dr. Fazıl Küçük, which has been restored as the "Dr. Fazıl Küçük Museum", is located on the same avenue. The home of Akile Hanım, who was known for her hospitable and charitable personality, was always filled with visitors. The frequent visits by Dr. Fazıl Küçük to his sister and the conversations they had over coffee hold a special place in memories. The mansion has been restored in accordance with its historic original through the initiative of Sümer Siber, the great grandaughter of Akile Hanım, and her husband, Cemal Gülercan, and has been opened as a boutique hotel in 2019.