Aya Pandeleimon Greek Orthodox Church
Changes After Construction:
- The church was damaged by fire in September 1872.
- The post-fire repair/reconstruction began in 1890, and the church was reopened for worship on 28 June 1892.
- The bell tower above the courtyard entrance gate was added in 1911 by Andon Hüdaverdioğlu.
Prominent Features:
- The church belongs to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Istanbul.
- The church is dedicated to Saint Panteleimon; 27 July is the church’s feast day.
- The building is defined by a closed Greek cross plan; the main dome covering the central space rests on four supports.
- The bell tower is made of marble; it is two storeys high and covered with a dome.
- Rough-hewn stones were used in the wall masonry; larger cut stones appear at the corners, and some of the stones bear relief cross motifs.
- There is an entrance opening on the north façade; on either side of this entrance are three arched windows, and the apse section also has three arched windows.
- There is a square-plan ayazma adjacent to the church.
- The inscription on the fountain of the ayazma states in two lines, “Wash yourselves and thus you shall be cleansed.” The belief in the healing power of the ayazma water continues to this day.
