Aya Dimitri Greek Orthodox Church
Changes After Construction:
- The church underwent a major repair in 1726.
- The garden walls were built in 1720; significant additions were made between 1751 and 1754 and again in 1798.
- The surviving bell tower was first built in 1857 and was rebuilt in 1955.
- The church courtyard was used as a cemetery until 1865.
Prominent Features:
- The church belongs to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Istanbul.
- The building is also known as the “Ayios Dimitrios Church.”
- Within the church courtyard there is a church called “Aya Haralambos”; this structure has been assessed as being older and as having been known in the 16th century by the name “Aya Tanaş.”
- The wooden carved and gilded iconostasis separating the naos and the bema dates to the 18th century; the throne and the ambo also stand out with the same decorative language.
- The women’s gallery is located above the narthex, and access is provided by the staircase in the same space.
- The building has masonry walls; under a pitched roof, it is read through the rhythm of brick-arched openings along the façade.
