Selimiye Barracks, located in Üsküdar, Istanbul, has a long and storied history. Originally built between 1800 and 1806 by Sultan Selim III as part of efforts to modernize the Ottoman army, the barracks suffered destruction during the Janissary uprising in 1807. Sultan Mahmud II ordered its reconstruction in 1827, and it became the base for the newly-formed modern army, Asâkir-i Mansûre, after the Janissary corps was disbanded. Over time, Selimiye Barracks grew into a vast military complex, with facilities such as a mosque, aid center, library, bathhouses, a mill, bakery, stables, and extensive training grounds.
During the Crimean War (1853–1856), the barracks gained recognition when it was converted into a military hospital for British and allied soldiers. Thousands of soldiers were treated for war injuries and infectious diseases like cholera and typhus within the barracks.
In 1854, Florence Nightingale arrived at Selimiye Barracks to address the poor care being provided to wounded soldiers. She found undercrowded wards, unsanitary conditions, and a lack of chest drainage. Nightingale immediately implemented strict hygiene protocols, organized the wards, and introduced better waste management. Her reforms drastically reduced the mortality rate and set the foundation for modern nursing and hospital management.
The Florence Nightingale “ the Lady With the Lamp “ Museum at Selimiye Barracks
Today, Selimiye Barracks still serves as the headquarters of the Turkish First Army, including the Istanbul Garrison Command and several divisions. However, the northwestern tower houses the First Army Florence Nightingale Museum, which is partly open to civilian visitors. Requires good old fax communication with the authorities of First Army to get selected to visit. This museum holds the honour Nightingale’s legacy offers and gives an insight into her transformative work during the Crimean War.
The museum is located on the third and fourth floors of the tower. The third floor features the treatment room where Nightingale cared for soldiers, with original furniture including Florence Nightingale’s Office desk, chair and carpet. A statue of Nightingale helping a wounded soldier stands at the center, symbolizing her compassion. Medical tools from the period, such as a chest drainage tube, provide a glimpse into 19th-century medical practices.
The fourth floor contains Florence Nightingale’s living quarters, where she spent her few moments of rest. The room was chosen for its view of the harbor, which, according to a military rumor, was where an Ottoman commander she admired often docked. The walls are adorned with photographs of her family home, her burial site, and letters she wrote during and after the war. One notable letter addressed to her nursing students outlines the core principles of nursing, marking the beginning of modern nursing education.
Though the barracks is primarily a military installation and closed to the public, the museum holds that Florence Nightingale’s extraordinary contributions to healthcare and her connection to Istanbul are remembered. The Selimiye Barracks stands as both a significant military site and a place of medical history where Nightingale’s pioneering spirit continues.
- Photos courtesy of First Army and Florence Nightingale Museum and page layout by Efe Erhan Kusmez (October 2024)
- Locate the item on this Google Map
Related items:
* Chest Drainage
* Florence Nightingale helping a wounded soldier
* Florence Nightingale's office
* Florence Nightingale's living quarters
* The Lady With The Lamp
* Treatment Room Where Nightingale Cared For Soldiers
* Selimiye Barracks