Ziraat Bank Museum (Historical Karaköy Branch Building)

History and General Information / Local Legends and Folklore The history of Ziraat Bank, whose foundations were laid with the 'Memleket Sandıkları' established by Mithat Pasha in 1863 to provide loans to farmers, is exhibited in this magnificent branch building on Bankalar Street. The building was designed in neoclassical style by Austrian architects at the end of the 19th century; It is one of the noblest representatives of Istanbul's financial heritage with its marble columned ticket halls, brass railings and historical vaults. The museum contains banking documents, calculators and historical seals from the Ottoman Empire to the present day. Geographical Structure, Altitude and Natural Features