Armenians in Istanbul ( hy, Պոլսահայեր, ''Bolsahayer''; tr, İstanbul Ermenileri) are a major part of the

Turkish Armenian Armenians in Turkey ( tr, Türkiye Ermenileri; hy, Թուրքահայեր, also Թրքահայեր, "Turkish Armenians"), one of the indigenous peoples of Turkey, have an estimated population of 50,000 to 70,000, down from a population of over 2 ...

community and historically one of the largest ethnic minorities of

Istanbul Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

. The city is often referred to as Bolis (Պոլիս) by Armenians, which is derived from the ending of the historical name of the city

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...

. Today, most estimations put the number of Armenian-Turkish citizens in Istanbul at 50,000, 60,000 or 70,000. They constitute the largest Christian and non-Muslim minority in Istanbul, as well as in Turkey.

History

The Armenian community was made up of three religious denominations:

Armenian Catholic Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...

, Armenian Protestant, and

Armenian Apostolic , native_name_lang = hy , icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg , icon_width = 100px , icon_alt = , image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , a ...

, the Church of the vast majority of Armenians. The wealthy, Constantinople-based ''Amira'' class, a social elite whose members included the Duzians (Directors of the Imperial Mint), the Balyans (Chief Imperial Architects) and the Dadians (Superintendent of the Gunpowder Mills and manager of industrial factories). The

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

began with the deportation of 250 prominent Armenians from Constantinople.

Institutions

At present, the Armenian community in Istanbul has 20 schools (including the

Getronagan Armenian High School Getronagan is an Armenian minority high school in the Karaköy district of Istanbul, Turkey, The school is attached to the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Church. Establishment With the sponsorship of Archbishop Nerses Varjabetyan, Getronagan H ...

), 17 cultural and social organizations, three newspapers (''

Agos ''Agos'' (in hy, Ակօս, "furrow") is an Armenian bilingual weekly newspaper published in Istanbul, Turkey, established on 5 April 1996. ''Agos'' has both Armenian and Turkish pages as well as an online English edition. Today, the paper h ...

'', ''

Jamanak ''Jamanak'' (Armenian: Ժամանակ, meaning "time") is the longest continuously running Armenian language daily newspaper in the world. It is published in Istanbul, Turkey. History The first issue appeared on October 28, 1908 with Misak Koçu ...

'', and '' Marmara''), two sports clubs ( Şişlispor and

Taksimspor Taksim Spor Kulübü is a sports club located in Beyoğlu, Istanbul, Turkey. The football team of the club plays in the Istanbul Super Amateur League. The club was founded in 1940 by mostly members of the Armenian community of Istanbul when Ateş- ...

), and two health establishments, as well as numerous religious foundations set up to support these activities.

Notable Armenians from Istanbul

The following is the list of prominent Armenians who either were born in Istanbul (Constantinople) or have worked there. ;Ottoman era (before 1923) *

Aram Andonian Aram Andonian ( hy, Արամ Անտոնեան; 1875 – 23 December 1951) was an ethnic Armenians, Armenian journalist, historian and writer. Biography Andonian was born in Constantinople. There he edited the Armenian journals ''Luys'' (''Light' ...

, journalist *

Arpiar Arpiarian Arpiar Arpiarian ( hy, Արփիար Արփիարեան) (December 21, 1851 – February 12, 1908) was an influential 19th-century Armenian writer, the pioneer of realism in Armenian literature and a political activist. Early life and educatio ...

, writer *

Balyan family The Balyan family ( hy, Պալեաններ; tr, Balyan ailesi or ''Palyan ailesi'') was a prominent Armenian family in the Ottoman Empire consisting of court architects in the service of Ottoman sultans and other members of the Ottoman dynast ...

, dynasty of architects *

Hagop Baronian Hagop Baronian (pronounced in Eastern Armenian as Hakob Paronyan, traditional spelling: Յակոբ Պարոնեան, reformed spelling: Հակոբ Պարոնյան, tr, Hagop Baronyan; 1843–1891) was an influential Ottoman Armenian writer, p ...

, writer, satirist *

Nazaret Daghavarian Nazaret Daghavarian ( hy, Նազարեթ Տաղավարյան, Western Armenian: Նազարէթ Տաղաւարեան, tr, Nazaret Dağavaryan; 1862 in Sebastia, Western Armenia, Ottoman Empire – 1915) was an Ottoman Armenian doctor, agrono ...

, doctor *

Erukhan Yervant Srmakeshkhanlian, ( hy, Երուանդ Սրմաքէշխանլեան; 1870 – 1915) known by his pen name Erukhan ( hy, Երուխան) or Yerukhan, was an Armenian writer of late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was killed during the Arm ...

, writer *

Hagop Kazazian Pasha Hagop Kazazian Pasha (alternative spelling: ''Agop Kazazyan'') (1836–1891) was a high-ranking Ottoman Armenian official, who served as the Minister of Finance and the Minister of the Privy Treasury during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II. F ...

, minister of Finance *

Komitas Vardapet Soghomon Soghomonian, ordained and commonly known as Komitas, ( hy, Կոմիտաս; 22 October 1935) was an Armenian priest, musicologist, composer, arranger, singer, and choirmaster, who is considered the founder of the Armenian national scho ...

, musician *

Mkrtich Khrimian Mkrtich Khrimian or ''Mıgırdıç Kırımyan'' ( classical hy, Մկրտիչ Խրիմեան, reformed: Մկրտիչ Խրիմյան; 4 April 182029 October 1907) was an Armenian Apostolic Church leader, educator, and publisher who served as Cat ...

, religious leader, writer *

Yervant Odian Yervant Odian ( hy, Երուանդ Օտեան or Երվանդ Օտյան; 19 September 1869 – 1926) was an Ottoman Armenian satirist, journalist and playwright. He is regarded as one of the most influential Armenian satirists, along with his ...

, writer, satirist *

Ruben Sevak Rupen Chilingiryan (Sevag) (Ռուբէն Յովհաննէսի Չիլինկիրեան (Սեւակ), February 28, 1886, Silivri, Ottoman Empire – August 26, 1915, Çankırı, Ottoman Empire) was an Armenian poet, prose-writer, and doctor.Grego ...

, writer * Levon Shant, playwright, writer *

Mimar Sinan Mimar Sinan ( ota, معمار سينان, translit=Mi'mâr Sinân, , ) ( 1488–1490 – 17 July 1588) also known as Koca Mi'mâr Sinân Âğâ, ("Sinan Agha (title), Agha the Grand Architect" or "Grand Sinan") was the chief Ottoman Empir ...

, architect *

Siamanto Atom Yarchanian ( hy, Ատոմ Եարճանեան), better known by his pen name Siamanto (Սիամանթօ) (15 August 1878 – August 1915), was an influential Armenian writer, poet and national figure from the late 19th century and early 20th ...

, writer *

Papken Siuni Bedros Parian (; 1873 – 26 August 1896), better known by his ''nom de guerre'' Papken Siuni ( hy, Բաբգէն Սիւնի), was an important figure in the Armenian national movement, an Armenian Revolutionary Federation member and the leader, al ...

, political activist *

Bedros Tourian Bedros Tourian ( Armenian: in TAO Պետրոս Դուրեան, in RAO Պետրոս Դուրյան) (1851–1872) was a Western Armenian poet, playwright and actor. Biography Bedros Tourian (alternate spelling: Petros Duryan) was born to a pov ...

, poet *

Daniel Varujan Daniel Varoujan ( hy, Դանիէլ Վարուժան, 20 April 188426 August 1915) was an Armenian poet of the early 20th century. At the age of 31, when he was reaching international stature, he was deported and murdered by the Young Turk gover ...

, poet * Rupen Zartarian, writer, educator *

Krikor Zohrab Krikor Zohrab ( hy, Գրիգոր Զոհրապ; 26 June 1861 – 1915) was an influential Armenian writer, politician, and lawyer from Constantinople (now Istanbul). At the onset of the Armenian genocide he was arrested by the Turkish government an ...

, statesman, author ;Republican era (1923–present) *

Arman Manukyan Arman Manukyan ( hy, Արման Մանուկյան, 21 March 1931 – 28 December 2012) was a Turkish lecturer, writer, and economist of Armenian descent. Biography Arman Manukyan was born in the Tahta Minare neighborhood of Istanbul. His fat ...

, professor, writer, economist *

Şahan Arzruni Şahan Arzruni ( hy, Շահան Արծրունի; born 8 June 1943) is an Armenian classical pianist, ethnomusicologist, lecturer, composer, writer and producer, residing in New York City. Early life and education Arzruni (also transliterated ...

, concert pianist *

Hrant Dink Hrant Dink ( hy, Հրանդ Տինք; Western ; 15 September 1954 – 19 January 2007) was a Turkish-Armenian intellectual, editor-in-chief of ''Agos'', journalist and columnist. As editor-in-chief of the bilingual Turkish-Armenian newspa ...

, journalist, editor, columnist *

Agop Dilâçar Agop Dilâçar ( hy, Յակոբ Մարթայեան Hagop Martayan, Istanbul, 22 May 1895 – Istanbul, 12 September 1979) was a Turkish-Armenian linguist who specialized in Turkic languages and the first Secretary General and head specialist of th ...

, linguist of the Turkish language and co-founder of the

Turkish Language Association The Turkish Language Association ( tr, Türk Dil Kurumu, TDK) is the regulatory body for the Turkish language, founded on 12 July 1932 by the initiative of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and headquartered in Ankara, Turkey. The Institution acts as the off ...

Udi Hrant Kenkulian Udi Hrant Kenkulian ( hy, Հրանդ Քենքուլեան; tr, Hrant Kenkülyan; 1901 – August 29, 1978), often referred to as Udi Hrant (lit. "oud-player Hrant") or as Hrant Emre ("Hrant of the soul") was an oud player of Turkish classical ...

, Turkish classical musician *

Ara Güler Ara Güler ( hy, Արա ԿիւլԷր; 16 August 1928 – 17 October 2018) was an Armenian-Turkish photojournalist, nicknamed "the Eye of Istanbul" or "the Photographer of Istanbul". He was "one of Turkey's few internationally known photographers ...

, photographer * Sevan Nisanyan, writer *Daron Acemoglu, economist *Sevan Bıçakçı, jeweler

History

Institutions

Notable Armenians from Istanbul

See also

References

Further reading