Istiklal pedestrian street is often referred to as the most famous tourist attraction in the vast Istanbul. Despite the recent tragic events associated with the terrorist attack, this attraction is now one of the top places where many city guests go in the first place. During my summer trip to Istanbul, I was walking along Istiklal and noticed one very interesting religious building. As it turned out, this is the St Antony`s Cathedral. Today I invite you to take a look at its interiors with me.
A bit of history
The church dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua was built in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul in the first half of the 18th century. The temple was demolished during the laying of tram tracks, the structure that we see on this site today is more modern, its construction was carried out in 1906-1911.
The building for local Catholics was built by the Italian architect Giulio Mongeri. The same master, for example, designed the pedestal of the monument on the nearby Taksim Square.
As for the personality of Anthony of Padua himself, he was born in Lisbon at the end of the 12th century. The priest was a member of the Franciscan order, served as a missionary in North Africa, lectured in Franciscan schools in many European cities. Saint Anthony was canonized in 1232, he is considered a miracle worker and patron of the poor.
The Church of St. Anthony on Istiklal is made in the neo-Gothic style. The temple complex includes not only the majestic church building, located in the back of the site, but also includes residential buildings and an arcade through which visitors enter the territory from Istiklal Street. The closed courtyard with facades made in the same style looks very cozy.
The building of the church is made in the form of a Latin cross, the width of its central nave is about ten meters. The height of the cathedral is 23 meters.
The address of the complex is İstiklal Caddesi No: 171, this is the southern part of the street. Nearby is the exit from the metro station Shishhane (Şişhane) and the F2 funicular stop. The entrance to the church is free.
An example of this remarkable building shows us that although Istanbul is often seen as a city with a predominance of oriental architecture, samples of the most interesting European architecture can be found here. In one of the following articles I will talk about another unique building of the ancient city - the Bulgarian Church of St. Stephen.
Have a nice trip!
