St. Nicholas Armenian Church

Near the Topkapi Gate is the Armenian Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas (Surp Nigoğos Ermeni Kilisesi). The date of its foundation is unknown, the first mention in manuscripts dates back to 1630. From more recent documents, it is known that by the 19th century the church was pretty dilapidated and in 1813-1823 it was repeatedly repaired, apparently without much success.

In 1831, the Patriarch of Istanbul, Isdepanos II. Aghavni, solved the problem radically: in 1831, he demanded that Sultan Mahmut II allocate funds for the construction of a new church. What we see now was built in 1832 by the Armenian architect Vartan Kalfa Tıngıryan.

An earthquake in 1894 damaged the church, but it was rebuilt. During the First World War, the Sultan seized the church for military use. In 1927, the church was renovated and handed over to the Greek Patriarch Mesrob I. Regular repairs were carried out in 1987 and in 2000.

The church is located at the top of Fatih and offers a wonderful view of the Mihrimah Sultan Camii Mosque.