Greek orphanage on Büyükada set to become hotel

The orphanage was originally built in 1898 as a hotel designed by a French architect but never opened due to Ottoman-era licensing restrictions. It was purchased in 1903 by Greek philanthropist Eleni Zarifi and donated to the patriarchate, which operated it as an orphanage for about six decades.

Known as one of Europe’s largest wooden buildings and the world’s second-largest of its kind, the orphanage closed in 1964 for political reasons. Since then, the structure suffered serious deterioration, including fire damage in 1997, and was caught in ownership disputes until the 2010s when the patriarchate regained full rights after legal battles with the Turkish state.

The patriarchate plans to lease the property for many years and the lessee will be responsible for funding the hotel conversion, Greek daily Kathimerini said. A consortium including Türkiye, Greece and tourism companies may take on the project, according to the report.