Changes After Construction
There had previously been a wooden church dedicated to Saint George on the same site; when the need increased, it was decided to build a stone church.
A committee was established on February 25, 1867, for the construction of the new church.
The foundation was laid ceremonially on August 13, 1867.
Construction continued between 1867 and 1880, and the opening took place on September 11, 1880.
The official opening was held on September 14, 1880 (the Feast of the Holy Cross).
The building suffered heavy damage during the events of September 6–7, 1955.
After a comprehensive renovation initiated in the 1990s, the church reopened on March 23, 2003.
The metal cross on the dome was reinstalled on August 4, 2025.
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The church belongs to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Istanbul.
The church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity.
It is described as the largest church in the Pera district.
The building is in the form of a domed cross basilica.
Its two bell towers and large dome are distinctive elements of the structure.
The templon (icon screen) is made of marble.
The stained-glass windows are counted among the characteristic features of the building.
Most of the icons are described as reflecting an approach positioned between Byzantine and Western styles.
In the past, the complex housed units such as a school, a soup kitchen, and a clinic; it is stated that the clinic’s activity ended in 1978.
The soup kitchen was established in 1935, and it is stated that it continues to serve today.
It has been recorded as the first church in Istanbul to be built with a dome after the Tanzimat Edict.
