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Forbes house, Buca
The Forbes family arrived in Smyrna in the first half of the 19th century from Scotland and in time specialised in the cultivation, processing and marketing licorice root extract, a plant that was native to the wide geography of the Levant and was used extensively as a Victorian flavouring. They created an efficient network and were ruthless in eliminating potential rivals who wanted a share of this very profitable market. The local branch of the family name has died out and this property which was their main residence in the early 20th century was lived in by other Levantine families till around the mid 20th century, then passing on to government ownership. This property is on a hill just outside the main centre of Buca village (now with a population to rival a town) and so its location was problematic for institutional use and so it served a variety of functions including a dormitory for health staff from a nearby hospital until the 1980s. Then it was completely abandoned and suffered neglect till around 2012 when it was extensively and sensitively restored and that work was completed in 2015. Since then it has been awaiting its next use and again the issue of an alternative use for a grand country house in a not-so grand neighbourhood today clearly remains.
Remains of the orangery in the rear of the property.
Plaque atop the side-entrance indicating the mansion was burnt-down within a year of being built and then re-built again with a year of that. Local legends had this fire attributed to a jealous mistress / maid, which are probably fanciful.
Building exterior is richly decorated with art-nouveau style organic designs such as palm tree bark textured columns.
Like all the surrounding Levantine properties, many of the building elemens, in this case the metal shutters with their locks, were imported.
The cassalation on the roof may be another nod to the family’s Scottish clan roots.
A clear Scottish symbol carved into the marble of the side-entrance hand-rail.
Interior ground-floor views.
The currently operational mini library in the side wing of the building.
The central section of the building awaiting completion of restoration work.
Upper stories of the building.
Images courtesy of Saadet Erciyas / www.kentyasam.com / article 1 / article 2
