The Rabbinate building (“Hahamhane” in Turkish) was constructed in 1840 with support from the Rotschild family of Vienna. It had served as the home and offices of the Chief Rabbi (the head of all congregations of different Torah instructors) of Izmir, as the name suggests, until 1930s. A Yeshiva and the central library of the Izmir Jewish community were also located here. Until a century ago, the road to which the building sided was named as “Hahambaşı Sokak” (meaning Chief Rabbi Road in Turkish). The building, where all official affairs of the community were transacted, was evicted in 1997. Due to the collapsed roof and distorted walls, the place is closed to visit. Situated within a large garden surrounded by walls, the facade of the structure is still visible from the outside.