Istanbul Trip Overview
Join us for a walking tour around the bright, colourful neighbourhood of Balat. The area is undergoing a rejuvenation and the old houses have been renovated and painted bright colours, making the area very instagram-worthy!
There’s a lot of history to be found here and many sites are UNESCO heritage protected. During the Ottoman Empire, Jewish people were resettled in Balat and there were once seven synagogues here, but today only two are in good condition, Ahrida and Yambol Synagogues, which we will visit. We’ll also see Armenian churches including the Church of Surp Hreşdagabet and the famous cast-iron Church of St Stephen, a Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Finally, we’ll walk by the city walls and the ruins of the Byzantine palace, Tekfur Saray.
Additional Info
Duration: 4 hours
Starts: Istanbul, Turkey
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Istanbul Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Istanbul, Turkey, Turkey
Join us for a walking tour around the bright, colourful neighbourhood of Balat. The area is undergoing a rejuvenation and the old houses have been renovated and painted bright colours, making the area very instagram-worthy!
There’s a lot of history to be found here and many sites are UNESCO heritage protected. During the Ottoman Empire, Jewish people were resettled in Balat and there were once seven synagogues here, but today only two are in good condition, Ahrida and Yambol Synagogues, which we will visit. We’ll also see Armenian churches including the Church of Surp Hreşdagabet and the famous cast-iron Church of St Stephen, a Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Finally, we’ll walk by the city walls and the ruins of the Byzantine palace, Tekfur Saray.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Balat, Istanbul Turkey
Our tour starts with pick you up from your hotel. After picking you up we’ll head to Balat district. Balat is located on the southern shores of the Golden Horn. It is one of the Jewish districts where Jews were re-settled during the time of the Ottoman Empire. We walk in Balat and find ourselves in intriguing streets with amazingly colorful life. Synagogues, Armenian churches, Romaic churches, Byzantine remnants and Ayazma’s are part of today’s adventure.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: St. Stephen’s Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Balat, 34087 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey
Our next stop will be The cast-iron Bulgarian Orthodox church of St. Stephen of the Bulgars. The Bulgarian St. Stephen Church is also known as The Iron Church, since its structure is made of Cast Iron. This is a Bulgarian Orthodox church located in the Fatih district of Istanbul. The church belongs to Bulgarian minority who live in the city of Istanbul. During the 19th century, the Bulgarians were permitted by the Ottomans to construct a separate church for themselves, due to nationalistic movements.
The church is richly ornamented, and is constructed like a cross shaped Basilica. The original church was a wooden structure, constructed near the Golden Horn, and the current church’s alter faces the Golden Horn. The cast iron building was constructed in the site of the wooden church after it was destroyed in a fire.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Walls of Constantinople (Istanbul City Walls), Istanbul Turkey
Then we’ll visit the city walls and listen its story from our guide. The 5th-century city walls built by Emperor Theodosius II stretch for 6.5 km (4 miles) from Istanbul‘s Golden Horn to the Sea of Marmara (map).
Yedikule Fortress, Istanbul, Turkey
Yedikule
(Fortress of 7 Towers)
Istanbul, Turkey.
You can admire them at many points in Istanbul(especially the several gates in the walls), but it’s easiest to combine a view of the walls with a visit to the Kariye Museum (Chora Church) and the nearby Byzantine palace of Tekfur Saray (Palace of Constantine Porphyrogenetus) in the Edirnekapı (Edirne Gate) district.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Tekfur Sarayi, Hocacakir Caddesi, Istanbul Turkey
Our tour will continue with Byzantine palace known as Tekfur Saray. This is the largest extant fragment of a Byzantine imperial palace, dating from c1300. It belonged to Constantine Porphyrogenetus (Tekfur Sarayi means ‘Emperor’s Palace’ in Turkish) and adjoined the larger Blachernae (or Blakhernai) Palace. Following the Ottoman conquest (1453) it became a menagerie, then a brothel, then a pottery workshop and then a poorhouse. In the 1700s it was abandoned.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Balat Surp Hireşdagabet Ermeni Kilisesi, Ayvansaray, Kamış Sk. No:2, 34087 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey
Our last stop will be the Armenian Church of Surp Hreşdagabet. After tour we’ll drop you off your hotel. Surp Hreşdagabet was given to the around 20,000-strong Armenian community that had settled in Balat as compensation after an Armenian church in İstanbul’s Fatih district was transformed into Kefeli Mosque in the same period. Surp Hreşdagabet is a church dedicated to the archangels Michael and Gabriel.
The church underwent restoration in 1628, according to the inscription on the wall behind its altar; however, the present building dates from 1835 and was built after the original wooden church was destroyed by fire several times. The side chapel and the ayazma (sacred spring) in the building are original Byzantine features. The ayazma is said to be built upon the bones of St. Antonios, discovered during the latest restoration.
There is an imposing building located to the south of the church that today serves as a warehouse.
Duration: 30 minutes
