Namik Kemal Dungeon

An historical building in Famagusta, famous for being the temporary abode of influential Turkish writer Namik Kemal. Known as the Shakespeare of Turkish literature, Kemal spent 38 months imprisoned here, between 1873 and 1876.
Seen as a potential revolutionary and threat, he was exiled by Sultan Abdulaziz in 1873 after the first performance of his play ‘Vatan yahut Silistre’ (Fatherland or Silistria) a drama centred on the Siege of Silistria. The play was considered dangerous by the government as it promoted nationalism and liberalism.
The building Kemal was exiled to was originally part of the Venetian Palazzo del Proveditore but the jail building as it currently stands was built during the Ottoman era, in a corner of the ruined palace. The building has two floors. The lower displays pre-Ottoman Lusignan architecture and the upper is distinctly Ottoman in style. The building is L-shape with the lower floor made of ashlar stone, and the upper floor built using lath and plaster.
The ground floor, with only one vaulted cell is rectangular shaped and has a low arched entrance door and barred window which opens onto the courtyard of the Venetian Palace. Although described as a dungeon, it's not underground. When Namik Kemal came to Famagusta, he first stayed on the ground floor. Notes found described his initial cell as too dark and unsuitable for living. It was just over 10 squares metres with no furnishings (where would you put them?!) . He was transferred to the floor above with permission of the Cyprus Governor, Veysi Pasha. Steep stone stairs at the side of the building lead to this storey which has two large windows, a landing at the front and marbled flooring.
When Abdulaziz was dethroned, Namik Kemal was pardoned by Murad V and returned to Constantinople in 1876. He penned his plays ‘Gulnihal’ and ‘Akif Bey’ while imprisoned here. Restoration of the dungeon in the 1990's into a museum contains many of his belongings and documents. The same dungeon was also reportedly used by the British during the First World War. A bronze bust of Namik Kemal faces the square named after him, across from the dungeon. The founder of the Republic of Türkiye, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, referred to Namik Kemal’s works as a major source of inspiration, and today he still enjoys the status of a literary hero for many in Türkiye and North Cyprus alike.