One might think that Istanbul is one of the least likely cities one would consider celebrating Christmas. Although Turkey is a predominantly Muslim country, Istanbul is an amazing city during Christmas as it hosts a range of wonderful churches and diverse Christian communities.
One great place to visit during Christmas time is definitely Beyoğlu as it is the heart of the city that hosts a range of churches from Greek Orthodox to Anglican, from Italian Catholic to Armenian Catholic, from Protestant to ‘Keldani’ and all of them are in walking distance from one another.
I would definitely recommended you to take a walking tour in Beyoğlu during Christmas which would take you across these richly diverse Churches and their unique traditions. All of these churches were built by minorities who were a part of the Ottoman Empire in which Armenians, Greeks and Laventines lived side by side practising their own religious traditions.
When you visit these churches, you will see how an French Catholic Church is different from an Armenian Catholic Church and how an Orthodox Church feels so different from a Protestant Church. But all of these Christian traditions in Beyoğlu are united around Christmas.
I would definitely recommend you to see Saint Antuan Church in Beyoğlu during Christmas. It is the biggest and the most popular of all Churches in Beyoğlu where thousands from all sorts of religious background pour in to see the glory of Christmas in every December .
Another must see is the Aya Triada Greek Orhodox Church in Beyoğlu which has a completely different feel to it compared to Saint Antuan which was built by the French Catholics.
One other interesting Church you must visit is the Armenian Catholic Church called Surp Hovhan Vosgeperan which is a secret gem close to the French Cultural Centre. If you want to see inside this church, have a look at this amazing concert inside the Church.
One last Church I recommend you see is the Keldani Catholic Church in Beyoğlu which belongs to the Süryanis (who are from the Eastern Christian tradition and who predominantly live in current Mardin in the south east of Turkey) . Keldanis are one of the earliest Christians across the globe and their Church is one of the least known Churches in Beyoğlu but it is a delight to visit.
If you want to have a lovely Christmas dinner, consider visiting Pera Palace which serves a special menu for Christmas eve.
With Christmas on our door step, let’s unite around the magic of this festive season via this beautiful Christmas concert at the Italian Cultural Center in İstanbul!
