Fener and Balat guide: colourful houses, historic schools and the Golden Horn

The story of the neighbourhoods

Since the late Byzantine period Fener (Phanar) has been the centre of the Greek Orthodox community; the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been here since 1600. Neighbouring Balat was settled from the 15th century by Sephardic Jews arriving from Spain. The masonry and wooden houses built after the 1894 earthquake and fires make up today’s colourful fabric. In the 20th century most of the former residents left; after restorations in the 2000s the area came back to life and became one of Istanbul’s most photographed places.

What is there to see in Fener and Balat?

• Colourful houses: The brightly painted houses around Kiremit Avenue and Merdivenli Mektep Street are the symbol of the area.
• The Phanar Greek Orthodox College: A castle-like school building from 1881, called the “Red School” for its red brick; the inside cannot be visited, and it is best seen from the Golden Horn shore.
• St Stephen’s Bulgarian Church (the Iron Church): A church whose parts were cast in iron in Vienna and brought by ship, opened in 1898; it stands on the Golden Horn shore.
• The Ecumenical Patriarchate: One of the important centres of the Orthodox world; the Church of St George can be visited.
• Ahrida Synagogue: One of Istanbul’s oldest synagogues; visits require permission in advance.
• The Yavuz Sultan Selim Mosque: An imperial mosque with a Golden Horn view on the hill above the area.

Suggested walking route

Come to Fener by T5 tram or Golden Horn ferry. See the Iron Church on the Golden Horn shore and walk to the Patriarchate, then climb uphill to the front of the Phanar Greek College. From the top, walk down towards Balat and explore the colourful houses on Merdivenli Mektep Street and Kiremit Avenue. Finish the route by going down to the Balat shore. If you have time, stop at the Yavuz Sultan Selim Mosque at the top of the hill; the view of the Golden Horn from its courtyard is beautiful. The route is about 3 kilometres and takes 2–3 hours.

Fener and Balat with children

The steep hills and stepped streets make it hard to explore with a stroller; choose a baby carrier or backpack carrier. The grassy parks on the Golden Horn shore are a good place for children to take a break. The area is a residential neighbourhood: respect residents’ privacy when taking photos in front of their homes. Coming and going by Golden Horn ferry adds a small boat trip to the outing for children.

Visiting tips

• At weekends there are photo queues in front of the colourful houses; go on a weekday morning.
• Churches and synagogues have limited visiting hours; check in advance if you want to go inside.
• Wear comfortable, non-slip shoes; the hills are steep.
• From Sultanahmet you can walk to Eminönü and take the T5 tram to reach Fener in 15 minutes.