Staying in a historic mansion in Edirne means not just visiting the city but living inside it for a night. Komşu Konak is a restored house at İzmir Caddesi No 18 in Kaleiçi: a red-and-white façade, shuttered wooden windows, a brick-arched courtyard, a wooden staircase and an indoor lounge with stone and brick walls. Here we introduce the house itself and the historic sites around it.
Edirne houses and the civil architecture of Kaleiçi
The Ministry of Culture's Kültür Portalı describes Edirne as an important centre of civil architecture: pavilions, mansions and wooden houses decorated in the style known as Edirnekâri have survived to the present day. Kaleiçi is where this heritage is most concentrated. After the great fire of the early 20th century the quarter was rebuilt on a grid of streets crossing at right angles, and most of the houses we see today date from this period.
According to architectural studies, the most common plan type in Kaleiçi houses has an inner hall (iç sofa): the rooms open onto a shared hall, where the staircase usually stands. Because of terraced building lines and small plots, the houses are narrow at the street and deep at the back; bay windows and balconies on the upper floors animate the façades.
The exterior: façade, arch and courtyard
Looking at the house from the street, the first things you notice are the red-and-white façade and the windows with wooden shutters. The decorative carriage in front of the façade and the lanterns lit in the evening bring out the building's character among the streets of Kaleiçi. Through the brick-arched gate you are greeted by a lawned courtyard, a vine arbour and garden swings.
The courtyard is the heart of the house. In good weather breakfast is served here in the morning, coffee and conversation fill the afternoon, and in the evening, when the lanterns are lit, it becomes an inner garden where you rest after a day of walking through the city.
- Red-and-white façade, shuttered wooden windows
- Brick arch, vine arbour, lawned courtyard, swings
- Vine-covered exterior and a staircase to the upper floor
Inside: stone walls, wooden ceilings and a crystal chandelier
Inside, the lounge with stone and brick walls and a wooden ceiling is the most striking part of the house. The crystal chandelier, antique armchairs and the blue-walled staircase carry the warmth of an old Edirne house into the present. In one of the stone-walled rooms, a ship-shaped wooden console and a wheel decoration greet guests at the head of a long table.
The glass-roofed section is a transition between the courtyard and the interior. On rainy or cool days breakfast and coffee continue here; light filters through the glass and the green of the courtyard stays in view. The thick stone walls keep the house cool in summer and warm in winter.
Room types and comfort in the historic mansion
The aim of the restoration was to preserve the historic shell while bringing today's comfort inside. There are four room types: Standard (22 m², 2 guests), Deluxe (28 m², 2 guests, balcony), Suite (38 m², 3 guests, balcony and bathtub) and Family room (42 m², 4 guests, sofa). All rooms have Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a TV and a minibar.
There are things to know when staying in a historic building: wooden stairs and thresholds are in the nature of old houses, and there is no lift. There is no spa, indoor pool, in-room kitchen or private car park; as the guesthouse is on İzmir Caddesi, finding a space on the street or nearby is usually easy.
Historic sites to see near the mansion
The greatest benefit of staying in a historic mansion is reaching the city's monuments on foot. The distances below were measured as the crow flies from the guesthouse's map location; the walking route is slightly longer. Visiting hours can change, so confirm them with a current source before you go.
| Building | Period | Distance | On foot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ali Paşa Bazaar | 16th century, Mimar Sinan | about 350 m | about 5 min |
| Macedonian Tower | Roman city walls | about 390 m | 5–7 min |
| Great Synagogue | 1907 | about 510 m | 7–9 min |
| Old Mosque and Bedesten | early 15th century | about 630 m | 8–10 min |
| Selimiye Mosque | 1568–1574, UNESCO 2011 | about 950 m | 12–15 min |
Life in the mansion through the seasons
In spring the courtyard lawn turns green and the vine comes into leaf; breakfast moves outside. In summer the shade of the vine arbour keeps the morning table cool. In autumn the light in the courtyard softens and evening tea lasts longer. In winter the stone-walled lounge and the glass-roofed hall take centre stage; between thick walls it is easy to close a cold Edirne day.
Breakfast is served from 09:00 to 13:00 in every season and is included in your stay; details are on our Turkish breakfast in Edirne page. Weekends, public holidays and Kırkpınar week are the busiest periods; as there are few rooms, we recommend writing early for these dates.
Photoshoots and small events in the historic mansion
The brick arch, the wooden staircase and the carriage also make the house a sought-after spot for photoshoots; details are on our Edirne photoshoot venue page. Small engagements, birthdays and private dinners can be planned in the courtyard too; the options are on our Edirne event venue page. On event days the courtyard layout may change; we let overnight guests know in advance.
For all options and details, see our accommodation page or contact us directly.
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