We continue our series on Turkish urban legends with another tale from Istanbul. On one of Istanbul’s busiest streets, squeezed between modern buildings, stands an old wooden mansion. This structure on İncirli Caddesi in Bakırköy has been associated with urban legends and paranormal stories for years. Thousands of people pass by it every day, and some claim it “disappears for 5 seconds at certain times of the year and then reappears.” This mysterious structure is known as the Resneliler Mansion.

So what’s the real story behind this mansion? Does it actually vanish and reappear? Or is this legend merely an urban myth that has embedded itself in Istanbul’s cultural memory? Let’s examine the history, architecture, and the legends woven around Bakırköy’s most famous structure together.

The Heart of Bakırköy: İncirli Caddesi and Vankulu Street

Resneliler Mansion is located in Bakırköy’s Zuhuratbaba neighborhood, at the intersection of Vankulu Street and İncirli Caddesi. Today, İncirli Caddesi is one of Istanbul’s busiest thoroughfares, but when the mansion was built, it was a dirt road lined with fig trees, vineyards, walnut trees, and colorful flowers on both sides.

Back then, Bakırköy—known as Makriköy in those days—was a preferred summer retreat for wealthy families during the late Ottoman period. People living in Bakırköy and its surroundings would come to this area for picnics and fresh air. Wealthy families built scattered mansions and manor houses here.

The Mansion’s History and Architecture

Resneliler Mansion was built in the early 1900s by İhsan Bey, the older brother of Resneli Niyazi Bey, and was also known as Resneliler Farm at the time. This structure, bearing the characteristics of wooden Ottoman civil architecture, is a fine example of the wealthy manor architecture of its era.

Architectural Features

The mansion was constructed as a 2-3 story wooden building. It has a large, tree-filled garden featuring an elegant decorative pool. With its tall windows and wooden details reflecting the Ottoman aesthetic of the period, the structure still evokes the grandeur of bygone times.

Unfortunately, the mansion is in quite neglected condition today. It’s said to have been abandoned to its fate due to inheritance disputes. Its decaying wooden facade and idle state give the structure an eerie atmosphere.

The Mansion’s Legacy: Resneli Niyazi Bey

The mansion’s owner was İhsan Bey, the older brother of Resneli Niyazi Bey, one of the most important figures in Ottoman history. On July 3, 1908, Resneli Niyazi led soldiers under his command into the mountains of Macedonia to force Sultan Abdülhamid to accept constitutional rule. This rebellion paved the way for the proclamation of the Second Constitutional Era.

After the official proclamation of the Constitution on July 24, 1908, he was welcomed in Thessaloniki with grand demonstrations as a “hero of liberty.” A deer he had tamed while in the mountains was accepted as a symbol of freedom and became known as “gazal-i hürriyet” (the gazelle of liberty). There are even claims that the Turkish expression “geyik muhabbeti” (deer chat)—meaning aimless conversation between two or more people that goes nowhere—originated from this deer’s fame during that period, when everyone was talking about it. However, it’s also said that this term was introduced to Turkish by humor writer Cihan Demirci in the 1990s.

Resneli Niyazi’s End

On April 17, 1913, while waiting for a steamship to Istanbul at Albania’s Avlonya Harbor, he was shot three times in the back by a person assigned to protect him by the Committee of Union and Progress. The reason for his assassination was never fully clarified. This tragic end became the source of the Turkish saying “Ne şehittir ne de gazi, pisi pisine gitti Niyazi” (Neither martyr nor veteran, Niyazi died for nothing).

In short, the reason the mansion is called “Resneliler Mansion” is that it truly belonged to the Resneli family. Now, let’s move on to the part that interests us most: the paranormal claims.

The “Haunted Mansion” Legend: The Disappearance Claim

What truly turned Resneliler Mansion into an urban legend are the paranormal stories woven around it. The mansion became widely known as the “haunted mansion” particularly after media coverage in 2021.

The Vanishing Rumor

The most intriguing detail about the mansion, besides its eerie appearance, is the claim that it disappears for a few seconds at certain times of the year and then reappears as a silhouette in its original form. Local residents claim that the house vanishes for 5 seconds at certain times of the year.

While some sources specify this duration as “10 seconds,” some witnesses say “a few seconds.” Claims that the mansion disappears, that doors open and close on their own, and that screaming sounds are heard at night have become widespread enough to make the news. You can see a related news report below.

A news report about the mysterious Resneliler Mansion.

Variety of Claims

There are variations among witnesses regarding the duration of disappearance:

• Some say “5 seconds”
• Some sources indicate “10 seconds”
• Some witnesses use the expression “a few seconds”

There are also different accounts of how the disappearance occurs:

• Complete vanishing: The mansion suddenly disappears; the surrounding trees and environment remain the same, only the structure vanishes from sight
• Blurring into a silhouette: The shape of the structure becomes blurry, losing its sharp contours
• Shadow effect: The mansion appears like a shadow and then darkens before brightening again
• Optical shifting: Some witnesses say they felt the building’s position changed

Screaming Sounds and Other Claims

Besides the vanishing phenomenon, there are other paranormal claims about the mansion:

Media Coverage

In September-October 2021, multiple news sites featured the mansion in their headlines with titles like “Mysterious wooden house in the heart of Istanbul” and “The mansion that disappears for 5 seconds and reappears.”

Television Programs

According to an entry on Ekşi Sözlük (a popular Turkish social platform similar to Reddit), this mansion was also featured on “Şok,” an unforgettable 90s TV program hosted by Korcan Karar. This episode was even uploaded to Alkışlarla Yaşıyorum, a beloved website of its time—but since Alkışlarla Yaşıyorum is now a thing of the past, the link unfortunately no longer works.

Scientific Explanations: How Our Eyes Deceive Us

Could the mansion’s “disappearance” be a trick of the mind or an optical illusion? What does science say about this?

Optical Illusion Theory

An optical illusion can be defined as perceiving an image, color, or movement different from reality through the natural or artificial manipulation, deception, or misleading of the eye or brain’s working principles.

Light and Shadow Effects

During sunset hours, the angle of the sun changes, and the shadows falling on the building can dramatically alter the house’s appearance. The formation of light sources from the opposite direction can make the building’s silhouette unclear. When viewed from a certain angle, the building can “merge” with structures in the background.

Perspective Illusion

Perspective illusions arise from how our brains make sense of objects in a three-dimensional world. The perspective relationship between the mansion and the structures and trees behind it can make the building appear to be “vanishing” when viewed from a certain point.

Attention Distraction

İncirli Caddesi is an extremely busy road. Evening traffic, pedestrians, and urban noise distract people’s attention. Our brains notice unchanging things less and changing things more. It’s possible to simply not notice the mansion during those “5 seconds” due to distraction.

Social Psychology: Group Belief

When one person sees and reports something, others want to see the same thing. Once someone says they saw it “disappear,” others feel they’ve seen similar things when they look. Going viral on social media further strengthens this belief.

Architectural Theory: Natural Camouflage

The house’s wooden brown-beige color is similar in tone to the trees behind it. Under certain lighting conditions, a “hiding” illusion may occur. This means the mansion’s visibility decreases as it blends with its surroundings.

The Real Issue: Inheritance and Preservation

After Resneli Niyazi Bey and his family, disagreements arose among the heirs. The inability of two siblings to agree on inheritance matters explains the house’s current condition. The mansion has remained neglected because no heir has taken responsibility for it.

It’s known that the mansion and surrounding land were sold in an inheritance lawsuit in 1952, and Ataköy buildings were constructed on part of the İncirli Caddesi portion.

Researchers’ Findings

Researcher Nilay Örnek investigated the mansion in “Her Umut Ortak Arar” and confirms that Resneliler Mansion is indeed registered and was built by İhsan Bey.

According to Örnek’s findings, the researcher observed that a family lives in the mansion and noted that the “haunted mansion” rumor is considered a joke by local residents. On the ground floor, according to a tweet thread by Berk Erkent, a caretaker and his family—said to be the grandchildren of a family that once served as helpers to Resneli İhsan Bey—continue to live there.

The Truth Behind the Legend

There are several reasons why the Resneliler Mansion legend has become so powerful:

• Historical Weight: Resneli Niyazi Bey’s story adds emotional depth to the mansion
• Abandoned Appearance: Neglected, decaying wood and the desolate atmosphere create an eerie impression
• Optical Illusion: Real physical effects cause the eye to be deceived
• Social Psychology: The reinforcing effect of group belief
• Internet Culture: Viral dynamics spread the legend rapidly
• Fascination with Fear: People enjoy sharing things that evoke fear

The Mansion’s Present and Future

Recent news about the mansion isn’t particularly encouraging from a cultural heritage preservation standpoint. According to reports from September 2025, a partial collapse has occurred at the mansion. This historic building—the subject of an urban legend claiming it disappears briefly and reappears—may soon truly vanish forever.

Final Words

A mansion that momentarily vanishes and then reappears is an extremely intriguing phenomenon when considered as a folkloric horror element. It’s one of several locations in Istanbul believed to host paranormal events, alongside places like Cemil Molla Mansion and Molla Zeyrek Mosque, and it has a genuine story that would attract interest if made into a film. From the fact that it was featured in 90s TV programs, we understand that even if the mansion’s disappearance isn’t real, such an urban legend has truly passed from tongue to tongue and taken root in people’s minds. This isn’t a story fabricated on the internet, it’s a natural, anonymous urban legend.