Istanbul’s Greek orphanage set for landmark restoration

Istanbul’s Greek orphanage set for landmark restoration

ISTANBUL

A landmark restoration project has been launched to save the historic Greek orphanage in Büyükada , the largest wooden building in Europe, from decades of deterioration and the threat of collapse.

The restoration will be carried out through a partnership involving the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, the property’s owner, a Turkish conglomerate Bilgili Holding and a Greece-based sustainable tourism and real estate company.

The agreement was formalized on June 15 during a ceremony held at the Patriarchate in Istanbul, attended by Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew, Australia Archbishop Makarios Griniezakis, Bilgili Holding Chairman Serdar Bilgili and representatives of the project’s international partners. The partners pledged to restore the structure in accordance with its original architectural character and return it to active use.

Known historically as Prinkipo Palace, the imposing five-story building was designed by renowned Levantine architect Alexandre Vallaury and completed in 1898 as a luxury hotel.

Although conceived as an upscale resort, it never operated as a hotel. In 1903, philanthropist Eleni Zarifi purchased the property and donated it to the Patriarchate, after which it was converted into an orphanage for the Greek Orthodox community.

For more than six decades, the institution provided shelter and education to thousands of children. It was closed in 1964 amid political tensions and has remained abandoned ever since. Exposure to the elements and years of neglect left the 206-room structure in an advanced state of decay.

The orphanage’s precarious condition attracted international concern, and in 2018, it was included on Europa Nostra’s list of Europe’s most endangered cultural heritage sites.