Church of Saint George

Experience The Beauty and Grandeur of The Cathedral Church of Saint George

Istanbul is a city which is packed with a huge amount of historic and cultural buildings. Many of these dates back to Ottoman times, with huge palaces of true opulence, as well as many extremely historic mosques, which are protected as part of their place in history. The great thing about Istanbul however is just how diverse it is. Throughout history, various people of different nationality made Istanbul their home, and due to this, there are nods to their particular cultures and beliefs around the city too.

One of those is the beautiful Cathedral Church of Saint George.

Located in one of the oldest parts of Istanbul, in Fatih, the Cathedral Church of Saint George is a Greek Orthodox Church which is still in working order today. The inside is simply breathtaking in true opulence and beauty, and it dates back as far as the 16th century, when it was recognised as the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Obviously, Constantinople was the name of Istanbul prior to the new Republic being formed. In addition to this, the Cathedral Church of Saint George is also widely recognised as being the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Christians all across the world.

Of course, it makes sense that a Greek Orthodox Church be placed in a community which was predominately Greek Orthodox, and that is why the church was located in this part of Istanbul, specifically within the Fener area. Despite its original construction, we all know that Istanbul has suffered many earthquakes and fires over history, and as a result, the Cathedral Church of Saint George has undergone several rounds of restoration work. The church which stands now looks almost unrecognisable if you compared it to how it did look when it was first built. This is to be expected however.

After a large fire, the church was unfortunately abandoned in 1738, up until around 1797, when Patriarch Gregory V ordered another round of reconstruction work to be done. What you see now is based mostly on this particular reconstruction effort.

The Architecture of The Cathedral Church of Saint George

The architecture of the Cathedral Church of Saint George is obviously different to its original plan, as we just mentioned. Today, the church has a basilica which has three aisles, and there are three apses in a semi-circular design, towards the eastern side of the building. There is a transverse shaped narthex on the western side, and the pews are tall, made of an ebony type of wood.

Behind the main altar there is a large semi-circular holy bema, and here there are large seats which are reserved for visiting dignitaries, such as Archpriests and those in high standing within the church.

The main doorway features the neo-classical design we mentioned earlier, with ornate frames around the outer edge. Inside the church you will also see various ornaments and artifacts which were donated to the church by Orthodox Christians from across the world, throughout history.

Another fire broke out in 1941, which caused damage to the church, however it was restored to its current glory in 1991, and much of the mosaics and other artifacts were saved from damage.

Visiting The Cathedral Church of Saint George

You can visit the Cathedral Church of Saint George every day between the hours of 8.30am until 4pm. You will need to go through a security check at the door, but this is standard procedure. There are also occasionally visitors from within the church in other countries, such as pilgrims, which may affect opening times. This should be advertised in advance, so simply check this before you head over to the Fatih area to visit the church. There is also a series of church offices behind the building, so you can ask any questions there.

The interior decoration of the Cathedral Church of Saint George is certainly something to behold, and visitors to the church should take their time exploring the inside and looking at the very small and intricate details within the decor. Do not rush your time inside this church, as the decoration is so detailed, you may miss something quite mind-blowing otherwise!

Of course, the surrounding Fatih district is packed with things to see and do, so once you have finished exploring the Cathedral Church of Saint George, be sure to head out and see what other historical and cultural gems you can find within this oldest part of former Constantinople. This will certainly be a day for your camera to be rather full by the end!