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Balat is an interesting neighborhood along the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey. It sits between Fener and Ayvansaray in the Fatih district.
Introduction to Balat
Balat probably derives from the Greek word palation, meaning palace, referring to the Palace of Blachernae. In the late 15th century, Sultan Bayezid II offered refuge to Sephardic Jews and Muslims fleeing the Spanish Inquisition. They settled in Balat, which had already been the center of the Jewish community of Constantinople since the late Byzantine period. At one time, there were 18 active synagogues in the neighborhood. There were also small Greek and Armenian communities.
Today, Balat is overwhelmingly Muslim. The minority communities have been mostly forced out or chose to leave due to persecution and events such as the 1955 Istanbul pogrom.
The neighborhood is a great place to explore, especially to witness authentic local life. In addition to the historic buildings, you’ll find lots of streets with colorful homes.
Getting to Balat
The easiest way to get to Balat is to take the T5 tram line that runs from Eminönü to Alibeyköy. It’s also accessible by bus, with the 55T from Taksim the most likely one you’ll take. For a more scenic ride, you can hop on the hourly Golden Horn ferry line that runs from Karaköy and Üsküdar.
Leblebiciler Street
Leblebiciler Street (Leblebiciler Sokak) is a great place to start exploring Balat. It’s one of the most picturesque streets in the neighborhood, full of colorful buildings housing antique shops, cafés, sweet shops, souvenir shops, and more.
The street wasn’t always a tourist hotspot. When I first visited in March 2012, it was your typical street with run-of-the-mill shops. Some of the shops still exist but the general vibe of the street has changed. I’ve added a few “before” and “after” photos taken in roughly the same spot 11 years apart.
Yanbol Synagogue
The Yanbol Synagogue (Yanbol Sinagogu) is at the south end of Leblebiciler Street. It was established by Bulgarian Jews from Yambol near the end of the Byzantine period. The current structure was built in the late 17th or early 18th century after the original synagogue was damaged by fire. It’s one of two remaining active synagogues in Balat and only open for Shabbat services. You can find the outer wall along Düriye Street. The only way to enter is with advance permission from the Chief Rabbinate of Istanbul or on a private guided tour.
Ahrida Synagogue
A couple blocks away is the Ahrida Synagogue (Ahrida Sinagogu), which is one of the oldest synagogues in Istanbul. The community has been active since 1404 and the building was completed in the 1430s at the end of the Byzantine period. It was renovated in 1694 after being damaged in the Great Fire of 1660.
The synagogue was built by a community of Greek-speaking Romaniote Jews from Ohrid in present-day North Macedonia. With the influx of Sephardic Jews from Spain and Portugal in 1492, the Romaniotes became assimilated and adopted the Sephardic rites and Ladino language.
The building was restored in 1992 and is the other active synagogue in Balat. It’s known for having a bemah shaped like a ship’s bow, thought to resemble either Noah’s Ark or the ships that brought the Sephardic Jews to the Ottoman Empire. There’s also a midrash in the courtyard. The only way to enter is with advance permission from the Chief Rabbinate of Istanbul or on a private guided tour.
Çana Synagogue
On Hızır Çavuş Köprübaşı Street you’ll find the building that once served as the Çana Synagogue (Çana Sinagogu). The synagogue was established by the Romaniotes during the late Byzantine period and sold to the Sephardis in 1663. The ground floor of the building served as a court in which punishments were granted for members of the Jewish community who broke religious rules. The court met every Monday and Thursday until 1908.
Selaniko Synagogue
The remains of the Selaniko Synagogue (Selaniko Sinagigu) sit along Mürselpaşa Street around the corner from the north end of Leblebiciler Street. It was built by Romaniote Jews from Thessaloniki who moved to the city during the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror, shortly after the Fall of Constantinople. The main wall of the synagogue was destroyed in 1893 and it wasn’t repaired until 1926. A storm caused the roof to collapse in 1975 and it has since been abandoned. The synagogue had a capacity of 250 and held celebrations for major holidays such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Purim.
St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church
A few steps away is St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church (Ιερός Ναός Αγίου Ιωάννου του Προδρόμου / İoannes Prodromos Metokhion Kilisesi), which sits in the median of the road along the Golden Horn. It dates back to at least 1334 and was repaired in 1623. The church burned down in 1640 and was restored by a Russian ambassador.
In 1686, the property was assigned to St. Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai in Egypt as a metochion. The monastery renovated the church in 1729 and added a library and guesthouse to serve as the Constantinople residence for its monks.
The church measures 29.48 x 15.65 meters and is about 9 meters high. It has a central nave with two aisles. The property remained under the jurisdiction of St. Catherine’s until 1967, when it was expropriated by the Turkish state.
Golden Horn Wall
On the north end of Balat you’ll find one of the last remaining sections of the Byzantine walls along the Golden Horn. The wall stretched for 5,600 meters and connected to the Walls of Blachernae. It was about 10 meters high and featured 14 gates and 110 towers. Most of the wall was demolished in the 1870s.
Church of the Dormition of the Virgin of Balino
The Church of the Dormition of the Virgin of Balino (Ιερός Ναός της Κοιμήσεως της Θεοτόκου του Μπαλίνου / Balat Balino Rum Kilisesi) is near the wall. It’s an active Greek Orthodox church first appearing in records in 1583. It was rebuilt in 1843, likely due to damage sustained during a fire. The church is rectangular in shape and has a central nave with two aisles.
Ferruh Kethüda Mosque
Heading a couple blocks south is the Ferruh Kethüda Mosque (Ferruh Kethüda Camii), which is the largest in the area. It was built between 1562 and 1563 by Ferruh Ağa, the steward of Grand Vizier Semiz Ali Pasha (d. 1565), and designed by Mimar Sinan (c. 1490-1588). It was originally part of a tekke (lodge) belonging to the Sunbuli branch of Sufis. During the Ottoman period, a sharia court operated there.
When the Turkish government shut down the tekkes in 1925, the mosque was closed and fell into ruin. It was restored starting in 1953 and reopened to worship in 1960. It was repaired again in 1986. Only the mosque and fountain have survived from the original complex. The tiles around the mihrab were made at the Tekfur Palace (Palace of the Porphyrogenitus) in Ayvansaray. The mosque is also known as the Balat Mosque (Balat Camii). Ferruh Ağa is buried in the courtyard.
Surp Hıreşdagabet Armenian Church
Nearby is Surp Hıreşdagabet Armenian Church (Surp Hıreşdagabet Ermeni Kilisesi). It was originally a Byzantine church dedicated to Archangel Michael built in the 9th century and rebuilt in the 13th century. Sultan Murad IV granted the property to the Armenian community in 1628 as compensation for the Church of Surp Nigoğayos (St. Nicholas) in Edirnekapı being converted to a mosque.
The church was damaged by fire in 1692 and 1729, but was rebuilt both times. The fifth and current structure was built out of stone after another fire in 1827, opening to worship in 1835. Further repairs took place in 2005 and 2012.
The church consists of a central nave with two aisles. The two chapels are dedicated to SS Peter and Paul and St. Gregory the Illuminator. The bones of St. Artemius (d. 362) were discovered in 2006 during repairs of the holy spring in the basement. There’s also a set of iron doors with a relief depicting St. George and a German inscription dated 727. They came from an 8th century German church that once stood in Constantinople.
Khorenyan Armenian School
The Khorenyan Armenian School (Khorenyan Ermeni Okulu) is across the street from the church. It was built in 1816 and began to function as a school in 1866. The building was damaged by fire in 1925 but became unusable as a school. Classes continued in a wooden building in the church courtyard. The school shut down after the 1976-77 school year due to lack of students.
As for the building, after 1925 it was rented for use as a tobacco and soap warehouse. Another fire in 1994 left it completely ruined. It’s now used as a warehouse for scrap collectors. There have been plans to restore and convert it into a hotel or cultural center, but neither has come to fruition (as of June 2025).
Taxiarchis Greek Orthodox Church
On the south side of Balat is the Taxiarchis Greek Orthodox Church (Ιερός Ναός Ταξιαρχών Μπαλατά / Taksiarhi Rum Kilisesi), which was first mentioned in 1583. It has been damaged by several fires throughout the years and was rebuilt in 1833. There are no longer regular services but the church is well-maintained.
The courtyard contains a Greek primary school that’s no longer active as well as two holy springs dedicated to St. Nicholas and Archangel Michael. The spring of Archangel Michael contains a hole in the ground said to have been struck by his spear. It’s large enough for a person to crawl through. According to tradition, anyone who passes through will be healed or have their prayers answered.
Fener Houses
After the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, Fener and adjacent parts of Balat became the Greek quarter of the city. Wealthy Greek families and descendants of Byzantine nobles populated the area. The Fener Houses (Fener Evleri), a row of townhouses on Merdivenli Yokuş, are the best-preserved examples of Greek homes built in the neighborhood.
The colorful 2- and 3-story structures were built in the 17th and 18th centuries and feature bay windows. Many of the wealthiest families, however, left Fener in the second half of the 18th century. They settled mainly in Yeniköy, Kuruçeşme, Arnavutköy, and Tarabya, where they built large mansions along the Bosporus.
Balat Tuesday Market
If you want to get a glimpse of local life, head to neighborhood on Tuesdays, when the Balat Tuesday Market (Balat Salι Pazarı) takes place. Vendors set up their tables along Mahkeme Altı Street.
You’ll find all kinds goods including fruits, vegetables, fish, cheese, olives, clothing, and much more. Vendors are friendly and will often offer samples. Make sure to get there early so you don’t miss any action!
Where to Eat in Balat
I’ve only stopped into one place in Balat so far, and it was just for coffee.
Mare Mosso
I visited Mare Mosso on Leblebiciler Street to enjoy a cup of coffee while exploring the area. It’s a cozy place set in an old stone building.
The baristas offer coffee made both traditionally and with different methods. I had a V60 but I felt the roast was a little burnt for my taste. My coffee was served with a biscotti and a sweet fruit juice. I found the service to be friendly and the coffee decent.
