THE UPPER FLOOR OF THE WOMEN’S QUARTERS
The staircase of the ground floor Hayat leads to the upper floor of the women’s quarters. This hall connected all the rooms of the women’s quarters: the Reception Room, the Odah, the Hammam and a blind corridor that probably served as a small storage room. This bright and spacious area was the locus of everyday life of the family during the summer months.
Initially, the hall was semi-enclosed and screened by wooden trellises. The glass panelling on the exterior windows were later added for protection. In contrast, the interior windows, which separate the hall from the individual rooms, remain the same.
In the center of the outer wall, on a wooden ledge, a washbasin is formed. In this spot jugs of water where placed so that the air circulation keeps the water cool. The floor of the room is partially elevated, creating a low platform (sofa). Here is the only door in the house, which connected the women’s quarters with the men’s quarters.
