Phanar

under the Ottoman Empire, Phanar was the residence of the privileged Greek families

the name comes from Greek "fanari" (φανάρι) meaning lantern

Fener-Phanar-Fanar

a road usually with heavy traffic

the streets in the area are full of historic wooden houses and orthodox churches dating from Byzantine and Ottoman times

dilapidated and neglected

in the 17th century, Fener became the residence of upper classes and the bourgeoisie with its stone buildings and richly ornamented house facades

when the aristocratic families left the neighbourhood, artisans and small traders were left behind

and they moved to the unique row houses of the district

presently inhabited by a mostly Muslim population that immigrated from other cities and rural areas

due to low rents, Fener continues to hold a key position in the adaptation to the urban environment of a population that is poor and lacking the economic resources to carry out the necessary repair and maintenance of the architectural structure

The Great School of the Nation is the oldest surviving and most prestigious Greek Orthodox school in Istanbul

designed by the Ottoman Greek architect Dimadis

known among the locals with nicknames such as "the Red Castle" and "The Red School"

St. Mary of the Mongols is the only Byzantine church of Constantinople that has never been converted to a mosque

On May 29 1453, the day of the Fall of Constantinople, the surroundings of the building saw the last desperate resistance of the Greeks against the invading Ottomans

due to that, the church got the Turkish name Kanlı Kilise ("Church of the Blood")

a light still bright

silver offerings

in ruins

behind wires

a symmetrical serenity

a beautiful window view

surely there must be a simple way to hang them up there

every home has a story to tell

honest labour

traditional residential buildings

see no evil

past beauty

deterioration with time

cast iron

Tahir, a very smart and sweet boy

the Patriarchal Basilica of St. George

home to the Ecumenical Patriarchate since the fifteenth century

peaceful and simple

humble

the inner entrance of the church

a fountain

entrance of administrative building

the sealed gate at Greek Patriarchate

in memory of Patriarch Gregory V who was hanged from it in 1821

posing like a true model

the waters of Golden Horn somewhere at the back