As it is known, our school was built in 1884. It was built by the famous architect of the time, Sarkis Balyan, as the summer hunting lodge of Crown Prince Yusuf Izzettin Efendi (1857-1916), son of Sultan Abdulaziz. Three buildings were built at the head of a fertile well: the Mabeyin Mansion, the Harem Mansion and the Bendegan Mansion. Many pools, greenhouses and a few minor structures were also added. Especially its garden is decorated with carefully selected trees for the Mediterranean climate. The Balyan Family has brought many monumental and aesthetic structures to Istanbul for generations. Çırağan Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, Ortaköy Mecidiye Mosque, Yıldız Mosque are just a few of them. It is thought that Zincirlikuyu, which is the name of the district today, came from the well located just below the mansion, which has no trace of it now.
For many years, Zincirlikuyu Pavilion, which was a shelter for Yusuf Izzettin in summer months, will become a compulsory residence with the declaration of the 2nd Constitutional Monarchy and Yusuf Izzettin’s conflict with the Union and Progress. Yusuf Izzettin Efendi’s solitary years will have begun. On February 2, 1916, Yusuf Izzettin Efendi shared the same fate with his father Abdulaziz and committed suicide by cutting his wrists in the harem mansion. (or killed). However, family members reside here until the abolition of the sultanate. These pavilions, with the proclamation of the Republic in 1923, started to serve as a kindergarten-school under the name of “Dar’ül-eytam”, which gave primary school education to the children of martyrs in the Balkan, 1st World and Çanakkale Wars; It was later transformed into Hürriyet-i Ebediye Primary School. In the 1938-1939 academic year, this primary school was moved to Mecidiyeköy. Our school started education in 1939-1940 under the name of “Yapı Usta” and started vocational education. Over the years, many buildings have been built for the school, which is located on 40 decares of land. Building Institute, Building Art Institute, Istanbul Yapı Vocational High School are the names it took in its history.
