Christian Heritage in Istanbul

Información

Spend a full day around the old city, visit spectacular Byzantine Churches including Patriarch, Blacharnae, St. Savour-in-Chora, Pammarictos, Pege, St.Sargius & Bacchus and Pantacrator Churches.

The Patriarchate at Fener by the Golden Horn is the heart of the global Orthodox Christian community. After Constantine the Great's declaration of Christianity as a freely practiced religion in the Roman Empire, the capital was moved from Rome to Byzantium.

Though the city was conquered by Muslim Ottomans in 1453, Sultan Mehmet’s wisdom and vision of coexistence among civilizations and policies of tolerance have encouraged the seat of the Patriarch to remain in the city.

Church of Panagia Blachernae, the best known and most celebrated shrine of the Holy Virgin located near the Golden Horn. Famed for the Hagiasma (fountain of holy water), said to cure health problems and the Hagion Lousma (Sacred Bath) said to clean the soul, where even emperors sought the grace of God to purify themselves.

St. Saviour in Chora (Kariye), originally a Byzantine monastery dedicated to Jesus Christ the Saviour, survived with fantastic mosaics and frescoes portraying scenes from the Holy Bible, the life and miracles of Jesus. Church of St. Mary Pammacaristos (Fethiye) built in XI century by the Emperor John Comnenus, displaying the aesthetic refinement attained to the age of Paleologanage and originally belonged to a convent of nuns. The abbey housed the Patriarchate for a while after the conquest.

Zoodochos Pege at Balikli, dedicated to the Mother of God at Pege, with an underground cistern, full of goldfish related to a well-known miracle and the fountain of holy water, believed to cure many diseases, is one of the most celebrated shrines.

The monastic complex of Christ Pantocrator (Zeyrek) was one of the largest and best organised of the Byzantine period, comprising two churches and a funerary chapel, baths, a hospice for the aged, a hospital and a medical school, a hostel for travellers and a library –this can only be seen from outside.

St. Sergius & Bacchus, a landmark in Byzantine ecclesiastical architecture. Today it is known as the "Little Hagia Sophia" because of its’ general plan as a precursor of the Hagia Sophia -can only be seen from outside.

Meeting/pick-up point: Hotel pick-up.
Duration: 8 hours approximately.
Start/opening time: At 07:45am.
Languages: English.
Others: Please note that the Chora (Kariye) and Pammakritos Museums are closed on Wednesdays.