A Short Journey to the History of Heybeliada

Would you like to go on a trip where you can be in Istanbul and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city? Then let's take you to the second largest island of the Princes' Islands and let our Heybeliada tour begin. Heybeliada, which will be enough to make your day beautiful with its clean air, continues to host its guests in every season with its places to visit. This beautiful and calm island, which is the first stop of those who want to enjoy the summer months the most, will be enough to relax your soul with its green nature and deep blue sea. Moreover, it will allow you to quickly pass to different time zones with its historical places. So, what are the historical places to see in Heybeliada? If you are most curious about this question, do not start your trip without taking a look at the content we have prepared for you.

How to Get to Heybeliada?

Before starting our Heybeliada travel list, we need to give you brief information about how to reach this beautiful island; You can easily reach it by ferries departing from Kadıköy, Eminönü, Bostancı and Kabataş.

Aya Yorgi Monastery (Cliff Monastery)

One of the most important historical structures worth visiting on Heybeliada is the Aya Yorgi Monastery. Also known as the Cliff Monastery, the structure is located just beyond the Naval High School Officers' Club. Located in a magnificent location where the pink architecture dominates a green landscape, the monastery maintains its place at the top of travel lists with its nature on one hand and its history on the other. According to some sources, the monastery is also known as the place where Greeks coming from Istanbul took refuge during the plague epidemic.

Greek Orthodox Seminary

The Greek Orthodox Seminary, which was opened in 1844 to train clergy, is located on Ümit Hill in the northwest of the island. Although it was opened in 1844, the history of the school building dates back to the 9th century. Built centuries ago as the Aya Triada Church, the structure has lost none of its grandeur today and continues to maintain its solidity to a large extent. The church building, which is closed to education today, is now one of the first stops for those who want to witness the history of Heybeliada up close.

Ayios Nikolaos Greek Church

Another historical structure that should be included in Heybeliada trips is the Ayios Nikolaos Greek Church. There is no definite information about the construction date of the church, which maintains its location and solidity between İşgüzar Street and İmralı Street, but it was built for the second time in 1857 by Stefanis Gaitanakis. Dedicated to Nikolaos, who is considered the patron saint of sailors, the church has a Greek cross plan. It has a closed dome and the decorations inside the church are worth seeing.

Heybeliada Sanatorium

Heybeliada Sanatorium, Turkey's first pandemic hospital, was established upon the instructions of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Founded in 1924, the sanatorium is where many famous names, especially Rıfat Ilgaz and İsmet İnönü, received treatment. The Heybeliada Sanatorium, which provided a cure for tuberculosis for years, was closed in 2005 and transferred to the Religious Foundation. The sanatorium, which is located on the south side of the island, continues to exist with the scent of clean pine trees.

Hüseyin Rahmi Gürpınar Museum

Hüseyin Rahmi Gürpınar Museum is one of the most visited places on Heybeliada today. Located on Demirtaş Street, the museum is also the house where Hüseyin Rahmi, from whom it takes its name, lived for 30 years. The museum, where the personal belongings of Hüseyin Rahmi Gürpınar, a writer from the Republic period, are exhibited, has been in service since 2000. We can say that it is the best place to visit on Heybeliada for literature enthusiasts.

Written by: Habibe Tokgöz