Eccentric aquarium fence around luxury mansion in Çeşme attracts dozens

Are you in search of some quirky designs for your home's landscaping? A mansion in the coastal town of Çeşme in the Aegean province of İzmir may be the perfect inspiration, with its huge aquarium surrounding the mansion. Businessman Mehmet Ali Gökçeoğlu's mansion in Çeşme's Fenerburnu Bay is surrounded by an aquarium stretching 50 meters in length instead of a traditional garden wall. Gökçeoğlu diligently looks after the hundreds of fish of various species that live in the aquarium.

About 10 years ago, Gökçeoğlu demolished the mansion's garden walls to enjoy a better view of the sea from his home. Then, instead of replacing the fence, he brought two horizontal fish pools that are fed with saltwater from the sea through buried pipelines.

The aqua-fence attracts dozens of passers-by, mostly children, who watch the fish darting from one side to another. Full of various marine creatures, the aquarium is home to different species of sea creatures including octopus, seabreams, sea bass, eels, groupers and Mediterranean morays.

For his eccentric idea, Gökçeoğlu spent a huge amount of money and set up a number of cameras on each side to monitor the aqua-fence all day. He has spent TL 700,000 for the aquarium itself, not including food and maintenance expenses.

"People call my house a 'mansion with fish' and it has become one of the most quirky properties in the world," he continued. Hundreds of people visit his home and some even send short notes expressing their good review for the aqua-fence's design. "It is very difficult to look after all these fish," he said, adding he set up a team for help. "For each fish, I have spent TL 20,000 including their care and food," Gökçeoğlu said. He said some people want to buy his mansion but he has already rejected their request.

İpek Sayalı, a local resident of Çeşme, took her guests to the mansion to take a look at the aquarium. She said children especially fall in love with it.