Historical :
This monument is in the southern part of the city on Al Mebazzaâ Street. It belonged to Othmane Dey, a Janissary [officer of an elite corps of Turkish troops] who arrived with Sinan Pasha and later promoted to the position of Dey in 1007 H/1598 AD, an office that he kept until his death in 1019 H/1610 AD. The great lady Aziza Othmana — famous for her charity work — was his great grand-daughter. The monument underwent several major transformations the most remarkable of which was ordered by king Hassine ben Mahmoud Bey (1240 H/1824 AD - 1251 H/1835 AD) transforming it into stockrooms for nearby barracks, which explains the fact that it was called at one time Dar el oula or pantry house. The building was later given by Mohamed as-Sadok Bey to his Prime Minister Mustapha Ben Smail who used it as his home. The building has several distinctive features including a monumental main entrance (in a facade of Hafside style), the elaborate ceramic marquetry of the entrance hall, and the rooms surrounding a central garden. The monument was expropriated and declared historical monument in 1936. In 1960 it housed the ex-National Institute of Archaeology and Art (present-day National Heritage Institute) and it is currently the headquarters of Association for the Conservation of the Medina of Tunis