Yuruyen Kosk

There are only a few major attractions in Yalova that are a must see for tourists and the Yuruyen Kosk is definitely one. This Ottoman-Turkish style mansion is where Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, stayed when he visited the city. 

Yuruyen Kosk is known to locals as "the walking house". This is because Ataturk decided the building was too close to a large tree. Instead of removing the tree, he had the mansion moved.

Ataturk first visited Yalova in 1927. He had specifically chosen this as his destination as he wanted to make use of the local thermal facilities. Whilst he was staying in this area he stayed in Baltaci Farm which was a wooden pavilion next to the thermal bath. 

Ataturk commissioned the construction of a mansion for himself in Millet Farm and this was finally completed in 1929. The originally house made from wood was renovated later. The two-story building has three lounges and eleven rooms and is well equipped with furniture that has been taken from the Dolmabahce Palace.

Ataturk spent the summer months in this mansion and invited many notable singers and musicians to perform concerts and classical music recitals, and it was here that idea to establish the Turkish Historical Society and the Turkish Language Association was developed.

The Yuruyen Kosk, Yalova Ataturk Mansion, was originally the private property of Ataturk, but was transferred to the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Once they had order for the renovation works to take place they made the house into a museum by adorning the walls and rooms with pictures and personal belongings of Ataturk. The historical house museum opened to the public in 1981.