Halki Seminary

Last updated on October 2, 2025.

Perhaps the reason the island of Heybeliada is internationally known is the controversy surrounding Halki Seminary (Θεολογική Σχολή Χάλκης), which sits on a hill just above town. It’s the main school of theology for the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

Introduction to Halki Seminary

Halki Seminary was founded in 1844 by Patriarch Germanos IV (1790-1853) at the former Holy Trinity Monastery, which was founded in the 9th century. The original buildings, except for the 17th-century chapel, were destroyed in an earthquake in 1894. The school was rebuilt by architect Periklis Fotiadis and opened on October 6, 1896. An inscription above the entrance commemorates the new building.

Unfortunately, because of a Turkish government ruling that all private universities must be affiliated with a state-run university, the seminary has not been allowed to hold classes since 1971. Several high-profile international efforts by human rights groups and foreign governments to urge Turkey into reopening the seminary based on the basic human right of freedom of religion have thus far failed to make progress.

Visiting Halki Seminary

Halki Seminary is open to all visitors daily except Sundays. It’s a steep walk up a hill to get to the gates. If you don’t have a bike or want to walk, you can take one of the electric trams from near the port. They take the same Istanbulkart you would use on the metro, buses, and ferries.

I’ve visited the seminary a few times. The first time was on a brisk March afternoon in 2013 with my friend Isaac. We biked up the hill to the gates where the attendant immediately came out to question why we were there. I spoke to him in Greek and asked if it was ok for us to walk around. He let us pass and told us to take as much time as we wanted.

The next two times, I was leading tour groups from Chicago in late 2022 and 2023. Things had changed dramatically. The gates were open and the seminary was welcoming the public in an effort to build awareness. We were able to wander more of the grounds and some of the classrooms were open. There was even a small gift shop set up in a room off the lobby of the main building.

Main Building of Halki Seminary

Inside the entrance to the main building is the grand staircase, a candle stand, and icon. You’ll also find a small gift shop on the left side.

Only the ground floor and one wing are open to the public. The dormitories and library, which contains a collection over 120,000 historic books, are off limits.

Down the long hallway, you’ll be able to peek into some classrooms. Exactly 990 graduates studied in these rooms, including Ecumenical Patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, scholars, and other clergy. The classrooms are set up exactly as they were in 1971, waiting for students to someday return.

On my latest visit, there was an exhibition at the end of the hallway displaying rare books from the library of the Halki Seminary.

Holy Trinity Chapel

Behind the main building is the Holy Trinity Chapel. It’s usually closed to the public but we were given special access on my visits in 2022 and 2023.

First, in the narthex is the Mavri Panagia (Μαύρη Παναγία / Black Virgin) an important 12th-century icon of the Virgin and Child. The material used to paint their skin has naturally darkened over time.

The nave of the chapel contains a beautiful iconostasis covered in gold leaf. One of the icons includes a rare depiction of God. There’s also an icon of Ecumenical Patriarch Photios I (c. 820-893), who founded the Holy Trinity Monastery. He’s recognized as a saint in the Orthodox Church.

Other highlights in the chapel include the gilded pulpit and throne as well as 3 icons dating back to the 14th century. You’ll also notice scenes from the New Testament in the spaces above the columns.

Patio

The path to the right of the chapel leads to a patio with some beautiful views of Heybeliada as well as the island of Büyükada, the largest of the Princes’ Islands. The patio sits right behind the south wing of the main building.

Cemetery at Halki Seminary

Behind the Holy Trinity Chapel is a small cemetery. A few priests and Metropolitans of the Orthodox Church as well as an Ecumenical Patriarch are buried there. Most of the recent Patriarchs are buried at the Patriarchal Cemetery at the Monastery of the Life-giving Spring in Zeytinburnu.

Constantine V (259th Ecumenical Patriarch)

Constantine V (b. 1833, Vessa, Chios – d. 1914, Halki) served as Patriarch from April 14, 1897, to April 9, 1901. He graduated from Halki Seminary with honors in 1857 and went on to study at the University of Athens. He was ordained a deacon in 1864 and a priest in 1874, and later served as Metropolitan of Mytilene and Ephesus. Constantine V was dismissed from his Patriarchal duties by the Ottoman authorities as a result of conflicting factions within the Patriarchate. He then retired to Halki. His secular name was Konstantinos Valiadis.

Gardens at Halki Seminary

Before leaving the complex, you can take time to walk through the gardens between the entrance and the main building. First, you’ll notice a reminder that the Turkish government is always looming over the seminary. As required by Turkish law, a bust of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938) and the Turkish flag were placed on the grounds.

The bust of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I was donated by two brothers from Bulgaria, Dinko and Yordan Dinevi.

Themed Gardens

Within the gardens are five small themed gardens with information on each.

Burle Marx Garden

First is a garden inspired by Brazilian landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx (1909-1994). It uses native plants and never mixes flower colors, with the goal of each plant’s character having its own effect on the entire garden. Within this garden is a bust of Dorotheos Georgiadis (1891-1974), the Metropolitan of the Princes’ Islands.

Spanish Garden

Continuing along is the Spanish Garden, which was planted by Femando Caruncho. It’s designed geometrically using olive and cypress trees as well as wheat from southern Spain to symbolize freedom. Caruncho views the garden not as a landscape, but as a “person with its own personality and as a member of the family, a protector of the residence”. His inspiration was drawn from Ancient Greek philosophy and the gardens of the Alhambra in Granada.

Italian Garden

The Italian Garden was planted by Vannino Vannucci. It’s inspired by the gardens that emerged in the late 15th century villas in Rome and Florence. The garden includes characteristic Mediterranean plants such as olive trees and grapevines as well as pharmaceutical herbs. A terracotta pithos is one of the highlights as well as topiaries, which became popular in Tuscany in the 19th century.

French Garden

Next is the French Garden. It was planted by Nikos Babos in 2014 and highlights symmetry, straight lines, and shapes. The gravel paths are lined with boxwoods and shaped yews as well as lavenders characteristic of Provence.

English Garden

Finally, you’ll see the English Garden. It was inspired by Lancelot “Capability” Brown (1716-1783), who created a gardening school in the 18th century. The garden dismisses the strict geometrical structure and shaped plants as seen in the previous gardens and brings the space back to a natural state. Brown compared himself to a poet or composer:

Here I put a comma. There, when it is necessary to cut the view, I put a parenthesis. There I end with a period and start on another theme.

Map of Heybeliada with the Halki Seminary