TAKE YOUR ROLE IN THE HISTORY OF OTHERS!
We all like the taste of insight that we gathered from the heritage of the people that lived in the past. Some of us like it even when the owner of the heritage is not a famous one in the history. I believe this is about our desire to imagine. For instance, when I read a book that someone else read before me, I saw a note she took there and I start to imagine her mood and try to make guesses about her personality. This is a unique way of communication between two people.
If you are a person who likes to imagine and establish connection with the people that lived in the past, I have very good news for you. In the central district ‘Beyoglu’ of Istanbul, a street named ‘Rue De Brousse’ lies in 1860’s. In those days the street hosted the highest class of society. Well known banker Alfred Caporal was a member of this high class and our story begins with him, because he was the first known owner of the Araboglu Villa. Working at Camondo Building (an important business center) in Karakoy, Istanbul, Caporal was one of the biggest influencers of the Ottoman and French diplomacy.
Caporal, who was the representative of the Beirut-Damascus Company, moves out from the Araboglu Villa in 1909 and in the same year the new owner of the building, Madame Neti, moves in transforming the Araboglu Villa into a laundry. Thanks to the cisterns below, the Araboglu Villa serves as Blanchissage Russe Laundry Company.
After Madame Neti passed away, the laundry was run by her niece Zio Neti. Some years after her aunt’s death, Zio Neti got married to Dimitri Araboglu, who was the representative of the Greek Scandinavian Near-East Agency. After having a long marriage Zio Neti passed away before Dimitri Araboglu so the Villa passes to its last owner. Mr. Araboglu died in 1969 and before he died, he donated the Araboglu Villa to an Orthodox charitable foundation, which is still its owner.
If you like to take your role in the history of Araboglu Villa, the hotel boutique Room Mate Emir in Istanbul awaits you! Go beyond the time and make the moment valuable!
Writted by Onur Bilgen