The historical mansion built in 1914 by Greek craftsmen in Gümüşhane's Yeşildere village served as a school for about 50 years after the population exchange. Over time, the structure fell into disuse, and although it was restored in 2014 with support from the Gümüşhane Governorate and the Eastern Black Sea Project Regional Development Administration, it could not be opened for operation.
After winning the lease tender in 2024, Gümüşhane City Council President and businessman Rüstem Demirağ, along with Yeşildere village headman Erhan Yalçınkaya, took over the operation of the mansion. With a 70 percent grant from the Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution (TKDK), they invested approximately 10 million lira to transform the building into a boutique hotel and restaurant.
Authentic architecture preserved
Rüstem Demirağ stated that the historical building was furnished to preserve its authentic character. "We arranged the interior as a hotel and the exterior as a garden and restaurant. We aimed to create a facility where people can relive their memories here and also enjoy a different experience," he said.
Demirağ noted that they created an atmosphere where visitors can feel the traces of life from their childhood and youth. Emphasizing that the room views are intertwined with nature, he said they offer guests traditional home-cooked meals as well as breakfast prepared with Gümüşhane's local products.
"We are pleased with the interest we've received"
Demirağ said they tried to make an investment that would contribute to promoting Gümüşhane, the economy, and tourism. "We entered the tender process thinking the historical building needed to live. If it remained idle, both an important piece of our nation's heritage would be damaged and people's memories would be lost," he said.
Noting that a significant portion of the food products used at the facility are sourced from local residents and that the staff largely consists of villagers, Demirağ said many people who were educated in the historic building visit the facility. "Visitors share their memories, saying 'I was a teacher at this school' or 'I was a student at this school.' Witnessing this truly makes us very happy. The interest and crowd we see also pleases us," he said.
Top marks from visitors
Banu Çubukçu, who came to Gümüşhane for a wedding, noted that the historic mansion was restored to its original state and preserved its historical atmosphere. She said the lower floor is arranged as a restaurant and the upper floor as accommodation. "The rooms were very clean and nice. If we had time, we would have preferred to stay one night as well," she said.
Çubukçu added that before touring the mansion, they received information about the building's history and had an enjoyable time at the facility.
