Saffet Emre TONGUÇ

Historian – Travel Author – Professional Guide – Speaker

What’s happening in Fener and Balat?

After Ortaköy, Galata and Karaköy, the new attraction point of the city moves to the streets of Fener and Balat. Not a day goes by that a new cafe, shop, hotel, or artist workshop is not opened. It no longer surprises me that four new cafes can mutually start hosting their guests in a month. Whether you live in this huge city or not, if you want to breathe in the essence of Istanbul, one day you should get lost in the streets of this region and enjoy its new hangouts.

Let’s take a look at Fener first. The district was called Petrion in the Byzantine period and was inhabited by Greeks, named Phanariots. Thanks to trade, they became richer and sent their children to Europe to receive an education. The Greek population living in Fener, which was established within the Byzantine sea walls, left their homes just before the conquest but returned when Fatih Sultan Mehmed assured them that they would not be harmed and that they would be free to practice their religion. Artist Cahide Erel’s workshop in Fener was used as the home of Hakan, a character in the TV series İntikam. Let’s start our walk here. This is now a cafe called Perispri. There is an art gallery downstairs, and breakfast, brunch and Byzantine food upstairs. Right next to Erel’s workshop, Troya Hotel is an authentic hotel made up of old Greek houses and has a cafe.

The Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate settled in the Hagia Yorgi Church in 1602. The original basilica of the patriarchate, which is accepted as the main church by the Greek Orthodox community in the world today, was completely demolished in the Great Fire, rebuilt in 1720 and regained its present appearance. The Patriarchate is located in the middle of a courtyard, which is entered through a triple door. The middle section, called the Middle Gate, is locked and painted black in memory of Patriarch Gregorios V, who was hanged in 1821 for supporting the Greeks in their rebellion against Ottoman domination. The second fire in 1941 has done great damage to this old building, and only the library, located at the end of the garden behind the church, remained. If you are wondering how the Byzantine churches in Istanbul were in their heyday, you should definitely see the patriarchate; the contrast between the shimmering gold icons and the modesty of other decorations will catch your attention. If you see the patriarch in the ceremony at the Fener Greek Patriarchate, do not be surprised.

On the road; Jeffrey Tucker’s antique shop is on the left. His grandfather Thomas came to Istanbul from England in the 1850s. He named his company the Turkish version of his surname, ‘Takar Efendi’. As the 4th generation, Jeffrey’s house on the side street is an excellent example of restoration. Let’s take a look at St. Stephen’s Bulgarian Church on the main street, whose restoration has just been completed... The Bulgarian minority living in Istanbul was actually affiliated to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate until the 19th century. With the influence of the nationalist movement that started at the end of the 18th century and the support of the Russians, the Bulgarians conveyed their desire to worship in their own language to the sultan of the time. After their demands were accepted, a small wooden church was built here.

When it was time to build a larger church to replace the wooden church that was destroyed in the fire, Armenian architect Hovsep Aznavur drew the plans. Due to the weak ground, the iron skeleton method was preferred instead of reinforced concrete. The church, which has the architectural features of the Gothic style, was built in Vienna in 1871 and was brought in parts by ships over the Danube River and set up in a small garden on the shore of the Golden Horn. In 1870, with the edict of Sultan Abdulaziz, the church became independent from the patriarchate and was appointed an Exarch (a leader of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church) as the head of the church; which shocked the Greek Patriarchate. There are only two other buildings in the world that are built this way, so it definitely deserves to be seen. Across the road, the building that was once used as the church’s school is now below the road level.

Now let’s climb up the hill from the side street of Vodina Cafe to two interesting buildings. First, we will take a look at the Greek Panagia Muhliotissa, known as the Church of Saint Mary of the Mongols or the Bloody Church. The only church that has been in the Greeks’ control since before the conquest of Istanbul, the Church of Saint Mary of the Mongols, was built in 1261. The building has a story related to the illegitimate daughter of Emperor Mikail Palaevbologus VIII, princess Maria Paleologina. Poor Maria, who became a pawn in the diplomatic games, was sent to Mongolia in 1265 to be married to Hulagu, the great ruler of the Mongols. But since Hulagu died before the princess has arrived, she was instead married to her son Abagu and spent 15 years in the Mongol court. She had rebelled when she was asked to marry another Mongolian after her husband was killed. Whether she had the church built or just named it after herself, she spent the rest of her life in the nunnery next to the church. Theotokos Panaghiotissa is the only Byzantine church that has survived until the present day with its original structure intact. Greek-born architect Atik Sinan, who also built the Fatih Mosque in 1453, begged Mehmed the Conqueror and convinced the sultan to preserve the church and not convert it into a mosque. A copy of the sultan’s edict is still preserved in the church today.

Across the road are the ruins of the girls’ school and dining hall that were once here. Next door to the church, Fener Greek Orthodox College for Boys is one of the most magnificent architectural works of the city. Built in 1881 by architect Pericles Demades using materials imported from France, this gigantic red brick building was at times called the “Red Castle”. Especially if you are on a boat tour of the Golden Horn, it is impossible not to see the building and be impressed by its splendor. This splendor is also an indication of how rich this region was once. Unfortunately, no trace of the university of those times, whose history dates back to 1454, has survived to the present day; but many important individuals, including Dimitri Cantemir (1673-1723), graduated from here. It is difficult to see the inside of the school, but if you get the chance to get inside somehow, you will be greeted by the frescoes of Pericles, Alexander the Great, Constantine and Paul the Apostle, adorned with the classical motifs of Athenian pottery, used in the decoration of the ceremonial hall on the upper floor. As you can imagine, the view from the window is the kind that can make you tongue-tied.

Let’s go downstairs. Ayios Yeorgios Metokhion Church is located next to Vodina Cafe. This small and inconspicuous church is thought to have been built in the 12th century as the chapel of the Prince of Wallachia. It was purchased during the mid-17th century to be a “metokhion” or a church affiliated with the Holy Sepulcher Church in Jerusalem. The present church was rebuilt in the 18th century after the fire. What makes the church so interesting, rather than the architectural features, is the fact that three of the 10th century copies of the seven works of the great Greek mathematician Archimedes were kept here in the past. Although it may seem like a miracle that they were preserved to this day, the truth is; the scrolls on which these works were written were reused in the 13th century for the writing of a prayer book. It is almost certain that this work, also called Archimedes Scroll (www.archimedespalimpsest.org), was made in Istanbul. It was discovered in 1906 by John Ludwig Heiberg. Today they are in the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, USA.

Balat

Balat is like a workshop; this is the place where everyone who wants to learn the art of photography visits at least once, where the first photographs are taken with the voluntary assistance of children who have already learned how to pose professionally. Balat, located between Fener and Ayvansaray, hosted a large Jewish population like Hasköy for years, so synagogues, along with mosques and churches, have survived to the present day. Take a look at the Sumerian Native Goods shop first. The owner, Yakup Bey, established this place in the 1960s and the shop remained as it was then. Walking inside is like traveling in a time machine.

Ahrida Synagogue holds the title of the oldest synagogue in Istanbul. The synagogue, named after Ohrid in Macedonia where its congregation came from, was rebuilt following a fire in 1694, but was built with an inner dome that cannot be seen from the outside, since religious minorities were forbidden to build domes at that time. Although some say it is intended to remind of Noah’s Ark, the shape of Teva (prayer chair) resembles the bow of the ship that brought the Jews from Spain to Balat. Ahrida, one of the largest synagogues in Istanbul with its 500-person capacity of worship, is also famous for holding a ceremony where prayers were held for the Turkish soldiers who fought against the Russians during the Russo-Turkish War.

The synagogue, which was restored in 1955 and is open to worship today, has an interesting and historical feature. Sabbatai Zevi from Izmir, who started Sabbateanism, announced that he was the messiah here in 1666 and addressed large masses. Today, there are almost no Jewish people left living in Balat. The synagogue was restored on the 500th anniversary of the arrival of the Jews in Turkey.

If you turn right onto Düriye Sokak from the synagogue, you will reach the Surp Hreshdagabed Church. This Armenian church, whose history dates back to the 16th century, was built on the Ayios Andonios Spring in the 18th century. The iron gate of the church dedicated to Michael and Gabriel was excavated during an excavation around the Topkapı Palace and was bought by an Armenian and attached to the church. There are reliefs depicting Hagia Yorgi killing a dragon and Jesus’ Ascension to Heaven on this gate. Adjacent to that, the 19th century school building is used as a warehouse today. The most important ritual in the church is held on September 12 and Muslims too come to this place where miracles are believed to come true on that day. Tim Kelsey wrote in his 1996 book Dervish that “Surp Hreshdagabed Church is perhaps the only place in the world where Christians and Muslims come together and worship.”