The Hagia Triada ("Holy Trinity"; el, Ιερός Ναός Αγίας Τριάδος, translit=Ierós Naós Agías Triádos; tr, Aya Triada Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi) is a

Greek Orthodox The term Greek Orthodox Church (Greek language, Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the Eastern Orthodox Church, entire body of Orthodox (Chalced ...

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * C ...

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. The building was erected in 1880 and is considered the largest Greek Orthodox shrine in Istanbul today. It is still in use by the Greek community of Istanbul. It has about 150 parishioners. The church is located in the district of

Beyoğlu Beyoğlu (, ota, بك‌اوغلی, script=Arab) is a district on the European side of İstanbul, Turkey, separated from the old city (historic peninsula of Constantinople) by the Golden Horn. It was known as the region of Pera (Πέρα, meani ...

, in the neighborhood of ''Katip Çelebi'', on ''Meşelik sokak'', near

Taksim Square Taksim Square ( tr, Taksim Meydanı, ), situated in Beyoğlu in the European part of Istanbul, Turkey, is a major tourist and leisure district famed for its restaurants, shops, and hotels. It is considered the heart of modern Istanbul, with the c ...

History

The property where the Church stands used to be the site of a Greek Orthodox cemetery and hospital. This was demolished in order to build the Church. Its construction, based on the designs of the Ottoman Greek architect P. Kampanaki, began on 13 August 1876 and was completed on 14 September 1880. The Church is built in neo-baroque style with elements of a

basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its name ...

, and with the unusual features of twin bell towers, a large dome and a

neo-gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

facade. The Hagia Triada was the first domed Christian church that was allowed to be built in Istanbul after the

Fall of Constantinople The Fall of Constantinople, also known as the Conquest of Constantinople, was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire by the Ottoman Empire. The city fell on 29 May 1453 as part of the culmination of a 53-day siege which had begun o ...

in 1453. Architectural elements such as the dome of the church were only allowed after 1839 during a period known as the ''

Tanzimat The Tanzimat (; ota, تنظيمات, translit=Tanzimāt, lit=Reorganization, ''see'' nizām) was a period of reform in the Ottoman Empire that began with the Gülhane Hatt-ı Şerif in 1839 and ended with the First Constitutional Era in 1876. ...

'' under which the restrictions limiting the

Freedom of Speech Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recogni ...

for minorities were loosened and domes were allowed to be constructed as design features of Christian churches. The paintings and decorations of the church's interior are the work of painter Sakellarios Megaklis, while the marble works and designs were created by sculptor Alexandros Krikelis. On Church grounds there is also a school, Zapyon Rum Lisesi (

Zappeion The Zappeion ( el, Ζάππειον Μέγαρο, Záppeion Mégaro, ) is a large, palatial building next to the National Gardens of Athens in the heart of Athens, Greece. It is generally used for meetings and ceremonies, both official and privat ...

Greek Lyceum), which continues to serve the Greek community of Istanbul. In the church courtyard there are additional buildings dedicated to

social services Social services are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups, which commonly include the disadvantaged. They may be provided by individuals, private and independent organisations, or administe ...

and also a sacred spring.

Damage and restoration

The Hagia Triada Church was damaged and set on fire during the Istanbul pogrom of 6–7 September 1955 by an organized mob attack directed primarily at Istanbul's Greek minority. During the unrest, the Church was wrecked and pillaged but withstood an attempted arson attack by the rioters. According to ethnic

Armenian 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 ...

actor

Nubar Terziyan Nubar Terziyan ( hy, Նուպար Թերզեան; born Nubar Alyanak, 16 March 1909 – 14 January 1994) was a Turkish– Armenian actor. Biography Of Armenian descent, Nubar Terziyan was born in March 1909 in Istanbul. He went to Bezazyan Er ...

, who witnessed the incident, the mob arrived at the Church and started the fire by dumping kerosene onto the Church and lighting it with burning sticks. Decades after the events, industrialist and businessman

Panagiotis Angelopoulos Panagiotis Angelopoulos (alternate spellings: Panayiotis, Aggelopoulos) (Greek: Παναγιώτης Αγγελόπουλος) is a Greek businessman and an oil shipping and steel magnate. He is the co-owner of the men's professional Greek Bas ...

, who was given the titles Megas Archon Logothetes and Great Benefactor by the

Patriarchate of Constantinople The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople ( el, Οἰκουμενικὸν Πατριαρχεῖον Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, translit=Oikoumenikón Patriarkhíon Konstantinoupóleos, ; la, Patriarchatus Oecumenicus Constanti ...

, donated the sum of US$90,000 to

Patriarch Bartholomew Bartholomew I ( el, Βαρθολομαῖος Αʹ, , tr, I. Bartholomeos; born 29 February 1940) is the 270th archbishop of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch, since 2 November 1991. In accordance with his title, he is regarded as the ''pr ...

; the funds were used for repairs and renovations of the church which lasted two years. The inauguration took place on 23 March 2003 and the official opening of the gate of the church was attended by many officials of the Greek Orthodox Church as well as the consuls general of Greece, France and Germany and hundreds of people from Istanbul and Greece. The inaugural speech was delivered by Patriarch Bartholomew. The church is now used on a daily basis.

Gallery

File:Agia Triada Greek Orthodox Church, İstanbul.jpg, View from the south File:Hagia_Triada_Greek_Orthodox_Church1.jpg, Dome of Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church File:Hagia_Triada_Greek_Orthodox_Church_near_Taksim_Square.jpg, Dome of Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church File:Agia_Triada_Greek_Orthodox_Church,_İstanbul-2.jpg File:Agia Triada Greek Orthodox Churchi İstanbul-3.jpg File:Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church 6353.jpg, Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church front File:Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church 6367.jpg, Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church interior File:Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church 6363.jpg, Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church iconostasis File:Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church 6377.jpg, Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church balcony

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Triada Greek Orthodox Church, Istanbul, Hagia Greek Orthodox churches in Istanbul Churches completed in 1880 19th-century Eastern Orthodox church buildings Beyoğlu Baroque Revival architecture in Turkey Byzantine Revival architecture in Turkey Greeks in Istanbul Church buildings with domes

History

Damage and restoration

Gallery

See also

References