Surp Nişan Armenian Church

Surp Nişan Armenian Church is located in Kartal, one of the relatively new residential areas of Istanbul, in the Soğanlık district. The church in the east of the Anatolian side, near the coast, is also known as the ‘Church of the Holy Cross’.

As a region close to Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, there was a chapel in line with the religious needs of the Armenian population, which began to be required in the 1500s. This small religious building was expanded in parallel with the growth of the population a few centuries later, and the Surp Nişan Armenian Church dated 1776 was built. The church, which was a wooden structure first, was built in 1857 as a precaution due to the increasing fires in the city, with durable walls. It is known to have undergone repairs in 1985 and 1998 to cover both its exterior and interior.

Its simple interior and characteristic church architecture on the outside stand out. Also one of the priests is buried in its courtyard. It is another integral part of the cultural mosaic of the city. The Surp Nişan Armenian Church, which is open to worship on important days today, is very busy with Armenian citizens from the surrounding districts, especially in the Feast of the Virgin Mary in August.