Seven thousand five hundred gold coins. That’s what the Ministry of Education paid for this very building. This is Erenköy Kız Lisesi.
Erenköy Kız Lisesi stands before you. It’s a grand old building. It’s the oldest surviving girls’ high school in all of Turkey. Founded in 1911 during the Ottoman Empire this school has a rich history. It began life as the Model School for Girls. It moved several times. Its journey began in the Mansion of Nemizade Zihni Bey. Then it resided in the Mansion of Rıdvan Pasha. Finally it found a home in this impressive mansion purchased from Mabeyinci Faik Bey. The school’s dormitory expanded further when they acquired the mansion of Hacık Hüseyin Pasha from Hatice Sultan. She was the daughter of Murad V.
Imagine the lives that have unfolded within these walls. Generations of Turkish women received their education here. They went on to achieve important positions in Turkish society. Think of the friendships forged. The knowledge gained. The dreams nurtured within these classrooms.
A fire on February 22 1945 destroyed the original building. Education continued in makeshift locations. The current building wasn’t completed until 1954-55. After 1990 the school stopped accepting boarding students. Today Erenköy Kız Lisesi is a prestigious Anadolu-type high school. It’s known as a “Super High School”. Education includes a foreign language. Classes are computer-aided. And class sizes are kept small.
Many notable women were educated here. Some went on to become leading figures in their fields. Tarkan Akyol for instance graduated in 1947. She was Turkey’s first female government minister and first female university rector. Then there’s Ayten Alpman a famous jazz and pop singer. And Sabiha Gökçen Erbay a teacher of Turkish literature. Even Bedia Muvahhit a renowned stage and movie actress taught French here in the early 1920s before her acting career.
Erenköy Kız Lisesi stands as a testament to the power of education. It’s more than just a school. It is a symbol of progress and female empowerment in Turkey. This is a place where generations of women have learned. They have grown. They have changed the course of history. The legacy of Erenköy Kız Lisesi continues. It continues to shape the lives of young women today. This legacy is one worth remembering.