Category Archives: Historical Places

The Galata Mevlevihanesi, working dervish lodge, which also goes by the name of the Museum for Classical Literature. Home of the Whirling Dervishes, it’s the only institu­tion of its kind in Istanbul open top public. A courtyard leads through to the octagonal tekke (lodge), a restored version of the 1491 original. The tekke can be … Continue reading

This Catholic Ar­menian church used to serve the Latin community, and became their cathedral and the residence of Monsignor Fonton in 1802, before be­ing bought in 1857 by the Ar­menian Catholic Archbishop An- don Hasun. address: Sahne sokak, Beyoglu.

The foundations of the church we­re laid in 1856, and it was opened in 1861. St. Cons­tantine, the first Roman emperor to embrace Chris­tianity, and St. Elena, his mother, have their Feast Day on 21 May.

This is the sole survivor from the three Ashkenzai synagogues functioning in Istanbul until recently. The others were Or Hodeş in ‘Zülfükar Sokak’ and Tofre Begadim Synagogue in ‘Felek Sokak’. Built for Ashkenzasis of Austrian decent, it was opened on Roshana, the jewish New Year’s Eve, on 23 Semtember 1900. It’s still where Ashkenazi weddings and … Continue reading

Situated between ‘Felek Sokak’ and ‘Komondo Sokak’ in the district of Bereketzade, the synagogue was opened in 1894. An example of the 19th century eclectic style , it was closed in the 1960s due to a shrinking congregation. Restored in 1999, it began a new life as the Schneidertempel Arts Center. address: Galata / Beyoglu