Kont (Count) Szchenyi Fire Brigade Museum

The Fire Brigade was an indispensable department of the Ottoman Empire from the 18th century’s first quarter to establishment of the Republic. Sultan Abdülaziz invited Hungarian Count Odön Szechenyi to Istanbul to establish a proper fire brigade after the big fire event occurred in 1871. As a reward for his work Odön Szechenyi was bestowed with the title “Pasha” in 1880. The museum was originally opened in 1932, but re-opened in its present building in 1992, after many objects were collected and repaired within the main Fire Brigade headquarters in Fatih district. The name of Odön Szechenyi was given to museum in 1998. The museum covers the history of firefighting in Istanbul starting with the water pumpers of Ottoman times, and its collection contains items such as  Davud-u Hakiki’s Pump with pergola from 1714, district pumps, steam pumps and car pumps from 1800’s, firefighters uniforms, fireman’s axes, leather buckets and various photographs of some major fire events.