17.11.2025 21:09
The legendary weightlifter of Turkish sports history, Naim Süleymanoğlu's childhood home in Bulgaria has been converted into a museum. Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced that the museum's opening will take place tomorrow. The museum aims to preserve Süleymanoğlu's memory and inspire future generations.
The Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, announced that they will open the house in Bulgaria where the legendary weightlifter Naim Süleymanoğlu grew up, which they have transformed into a museum, tomorrow.
OPENING ITS DOORS AS A MEMORIAL HOUSE
In a statement made on his social account, Ersoy said, "We have transformed the house of the great legend of Turkish sports, Naim Süleymanoğlu, in Mestanlı into a museum. We are reopening the doors of the house where our late national athlete grew up in Bulgaria as a memorial house tomorrow. The home of the 'Pocket Hercules' has been turned into a memory space through the meticulous work of TİKA. His struggle and determination will now live on here. I sincerely believe that this meaningful step will both preserve the memory of Naim Süleymanoğlu and inspire future generations."
CARRYING THE PAINS OF THE ERA
According to a statement from the ministry, the doors of Naim Süleymanoğlu's house in Mestanlı, Bulgaria, which carries the pains, pride, and resilience of an era on its walls, will be opened by the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, and the Minister of Youth and Sports, Osman Aşkın Bak.
In the same geography, the opening of the Kırcaali Central Mosque, which has risen with the contributions of Turkey, will also be held with the participation of Ministers Ersoy and Bak, as well as the President of Religious Affairs, Safi Arpaguş, and members of parliament, just like Süleymanoğlu's memorial house.
The Kırcaali Central Mosque also holds the distinction of being the only mosque in Bulgaria with a complex.
THE LEGEND'S TRACES WILL SHINE A LIGHT
The house where "Pocket Hercules" grew up will breathe new life into a nation's memory, and that breath will be remembered with the same emotion for generations. Those who step inside will witness not just the story of an athlete, but the rebirth story of a people.
The determination and loyalty-filled story of Naim Süleymanoğlu, who inscribed his name in gold letters in the world, will be passed on to future generations in this museum.
TİKA PROJECTED
With the project initiated by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in 2021, personal belongings, awards, plaques, and memories that can be used for the museum were meticulously collected by consulting with "Pocket Hercules"'s family members and close circle.
The original texture of the stone structure was revealed again with a comprehensive renovation that started in 2023, and the doors, windows, flooring, and ceilings were renewed in accordance with the original. The project was completed in 2024 with the installation of exhibition and arrangement elements prepared in Turkey.
A two-story stone structure with a total closed area of 104 square meters and a courtyard of 390 square meters in the center of Mestanlı has been restored to its original state and transformed into a memorial house.
A large transformer building that had obscured the view for years in the garden was removed, making the structure visible again. The non-original plasters on the exterior facade were removed, and the stone texture of the building was revealed again.
The lower floor of the museum was prepared with an ethnographic arrangement reflecting the years Naim Süleymanoğlu lived with his family.
This section includes original belongings of the Süleymanoğlu family, silicone statues of his mother Hatice Hanım, father Süleyman Bey, and three children, period couches, carpets, kitchen items, as well as wooden doors, chests, baskets, and elements of village life.
The two separate rooms on the upper floor of the museum will narrate the national athlete's sports life in two periods.
The medals and documents he won for Bulgaria, his primary school bag, materials from the years he started weightlifting, a screen showing his life story in his own narration, and a "Toy Naim" area for little visitors will reflect Süleymanoğlu's years in Bulgaria.
Naim in Turkey will be depicted with his silicone statue and the medals he won after seeking asylum, along with a replica set of the weights he used in training, tracksuits, t-shirts, and shoes, Olympic medal replicas, and the State Superior Service Certificate and Olympic documents.
THE WORLD'S BEST ATHLETE: NAİM SÜLEYMANOĞLU
Naim Süleymanoğlu, born on January 23, 1967, in the village of Ahatlı in the Mestanlı district of Kırcaali, Bulgaria, started weightlifting in 1977.
At just 15 years old, Süleymanoğlu gained recognition by winning two gold medals at the World Youth Championship, and he was named "Weightlifter of the Year" in 1984, 1985, and 1986, earning the nickname "Pocket Hercules" due to his outstanding performance.
After seeking asylum in Turkey in 1986 and obtaining Turkish citizenship, Süleymanoğlu was named "The Best Athlete in the World" at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
With a total of 9 world championships for Turkey and Bulgaria and 6 Olympic records, the national athlete set 46 world records throughout his career. Naim Süleymanoğlu passed away on November 18, 2017, in Istanbul.