The Ecumenical Patriarchate signed a deal on June 15, 2026 to restore and manage the Greek Orphanage of Princes' Island,...

The Ecumenical Patriarchate signed a deal on June 15, 2026 to restore and manage the Greek Orphanage of Princes' Island, one of the largest wooden structures in Europe and one of the most enduring symbols of the Greek community in Constantinople. The agreement was signed by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Serdar Bilgili, chairman of Turkish real estate firm Bilgili Holding, with Greek company ĒNSOFI Holding also participating in the partnership. The ceremony took place at the Zografeion School building in the Phanar district, in the presence of senior church officials including Archbishop Makarios of Australia, who chaired the Patriarchate's special committee that finalized the deal. On the Greek side, ĒNSOFI is led by Achilleas V. Konstantakopoulos, the businessman behind Costa Navarino, the luxury resort development in the Peloponnese that became a benchmark for sustainable, identity-driven tourism in Greece. The Patriarchate describes ĒNSOFI as a pioneer in sustainable tourism development and real estate investment. Bilgili Holding brings a track record of restoring high-profile historic properties in Istanbul, including the Soho House Istanbul, The Peninsula Istanbul, and The Ritz-Carlton Residences Istanbul. Serdar Bilgili is also a former chairman of Besiktas, one of Turkey's most prominent football clubs. The orphanage has sat largely abandoned for decades. Built in the late 19th century on Büyükada, the largest of the Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara, the complex has been the subject of long-running international efforts to preserve it. The Ecumenical Patriarchate has owned the property for generations, and the building has remained a powerful symbol of Greek presence in Constantinople even as that community shrank dramatically over the 20th century. The partnership is not positioned simply as a renovation project. Both sides describe it as an effort to return the building to active use in a way that preserves its historical identity, meaning whatever future use is planned will need to be economically self-sustaining without stripping the structure of its cultural meaning. #Constantinople #EcumenicalPatriarchate #GreekHeritage