St. George’s Cathedral, Istanbul

St. George's Cathedral, Istanbul tickets: which one to buy

The Cathedral of Saint George stands in the Fener district of Istanbul, on the Golden Horn, inside the compound of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the spiritual centre of Orthodox Christianity, and entry is free. Visitors pass through a security check at the gate. Fener and neighbouring Balat are old neighbourhoods of colourful houses, steep streets and churches, synagogues and mosques, and walking tours of the two districts include the Patriarchate, the Bulgarian Iron Church of Saint Stephen, the red-brick Phanar Greek Orthodox College and the Chora Church museum.

Buses and ferries run along the Golden Horn from Eminonu. Modest dress is required, with covered shoulders and knees, and women may cover their heads. The church is often busy with Orthodox pilgrims from Greece, Russia and elsewhere, and visiting pauses during services. Ferries on the Golden Horn line stop at Fener, a few minutes' walk from the gate of the Patriarchate.

Visiting St. George's Cathedral, Istanbul: what to see

The Ecumenical Patriarchate has had its seat in Fener since 1601, after losing earlier churches in the city, and the present Cathedral of Saint George was built in 1720, rebuilt after fires. From the outside it is modest, a basilica without a dome, because Ottoman rules restricted the size of churches. The main gate of the Patriarchate has been welded shut since 1821, when Patriarch Gregory V was hanged there by the Ottomans at the start of the Greek War of Independence, and visitors enter by a side gate. Inside, the cathedral is richly decorated, with a carved and gilded wooden iconostasis, icons, chandeliers and a patriarchal throne said to date from the Byzantine period.

The church holds relics of saints, including those of Saint Gregory the Theologian and Saint John Chrysostom, returned from Rome in 2004, and a column believed to be the one to which Christ was tied during his flagellation. Mosaic icons of the Virgin and saints hang on the walls, some brought from Byzantine churches that no longer exist. The courtyard of the Patriarchate holds offices, a library and a small garden. Visitors often see clergy in black robes crossing the courtyard. Pilgrims light candles in the narthex before entering the church.

St. George's Cathedral, Istanbul opening hours and the best time to go

The cathedral is open daily, and Sunday morning liturgy, with Byzantine chant, is the most atmospheric time to visit, although the church is crowded then. The feast of Saint Andrew on 30 November, patron of the Patriarchate, brings special services, sometimes with visiting Catholic delegations. Orthodox Easter and Christmas bring pilgrims. Istanbul is pleasant in spring and autumn; summer is hot and winter can be rainy. Allow about twenty minutes for the cathedral, and several hours to explore Fener and Balat on foot, ending with the Chora museum's mosaics. The Bulgarian Iron Church, a cast-iron Gothic Revival church prefabricated in Vienna, stands a short walk north along the Golden Horn.