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Arnavutköy is a picturesque village on the European side of the Bosporus in Istanbul, Turkey. It’s located in the Beşiktaş district between Kuruçeşme and Bebek.
History
Arnavutköy translates to Albanian Village, because Mehmed the Conqueror resettled many Albanians in the area in 1468. During Byzantine times, it was known as Mega Revma (Μέγα Ρεύμα). Today, the village is famous for its seafood restaurants, wooden Ottoman seaside mansions, and views of the Bosporus.
Getting There
To get to Arnavutköy, you can take just about any bus heading north along the Bosporus from Kabataş or central Beşiktaş. You can also take one of the infrequent ferries on the City Ferry Lines (Şehir Hatları) to the Arnavutköy Ferry Terminal.
Seaside Mansions
As previously mentioned, Arnavutköy is famous for its beautiful Ottoman seaside mansions (yalılar). These mansions used to sit right up against the shore of the Bosporus, but the main road now runs along them on both sides.
The good thing is you can see the beauty of the mansions without getting on a boat. You can see the entrances on the southbound side of the road and the sides facing the Bosporus on the northbound side.
Park
Between the mansions, just across the road from the ferry terminal, is a small park. It contains a monument dedicated to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938), the founder of the Turkish Republic.
The side of the monument facing inland depicts Atatürk during his time as a military leader while the side facing the Bosporus depicts him during his time as the President of Turkey.
Exploring
Wandering through the streets of Arnavutköy is an enjoyable experience. While the seafood restaurants tend to overlook the Bosporus, there are a handful of small cafés and restaurants on the streets and alleys heading inland. Many are housed in colorful historic buildings.
Great Archangels Greek Orthodox Church
One of the major landmarks in Arnavutköy is the Great Archangels Greek Orthodox Church (Παμμέγιστοι Ταξιάρχες Μεγάλου Ρεύματος / Aya Strati Taksiarhi Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi).
The church existed earlier than the 17th century, and it was renovated in 1677. It was also renovated after fires in 1796 and 1799.
The current church was built between 1896 and 1899, after it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1894. Currently, it serves one of the largest congregations of Greek Orthodox Christians remaining in Istanbul. Outside the church is a holy spring dedicated to St. Paraskevi.
The interior of the church is beautifully decorated. There’s a stunning wooden iconostasis and a painting of Christ Pantocrator in the dome. I apologize for the poor quality of the photos.
Underneath the church is a crypt containing the tombs of church benefactors and wealthy Ottoman Greeks. I haven’t been able to confirm if it’s the same person, but one of the notable burials may be Stefan Bogoridi (1775-1859), an Ottoman statesman of Bulgarian origin. In 1849, Bogoridi donated his house in Fener to build a Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The famous iron Church of St. Stephen sits there today.
