In today's post I will show you a great landmark that I visited while on a short trip to Istanbul. I am talking about a temple, namely the Iron Church. Regardless of religion and religious beliefs, I recommend every tourist to visit this place as it is truly extraordinary and impressive.
The name of the church is Saint Stephen, but it is known among the people as the Iron Church, as it is built of iron elements and is the only Orthodox iron church.
The church is located on the shore of the Bosphorus and the altar faces the Golden Horn. The bell tower is an impressive 40 meters high. The church is not famous for its size, but even when we approached it, we were amazed by its beautiful appearance. At the entrance to the church, we learned about part of its history.
We learned that it was built at the end of the 19th century with the permission of the Sultan, and the place on which it was built was donated by the Bulgarian Stefan Bogoridi, after whom it is named. Before the iron church was built, there was a wooden temple on the site. The only element that is not iron has been preserved from it, namely the throne stone from the altar.
We learned that the elements needed to build it weigh over 500 tons. They were made in the capital of Austria, Vienna and transported from there, which was really impressive for the time. The architecture of the church combines several styles, which makes it even more beautiful and impressive.
The temple is still active today and hundreds of tourists and believers visit it every day. Inside, the church is in no way inferior to the exterior. Entering inside I was breathless and enchanted by the beauty of the temple. All these iron elements create an extraordinary and indescribable atmosphere, whether you are a Christian or not.
Without a doubt, this church is one of the most interesting and impressive I have ever visited. It may not be the biggest or the most famous, but this church leaves you with unforgettable pictures and an extraordinary feeling that I will always carry with me. Therefore, I recommend that anyone who is nearby should take half an hour and visit it.
An interesting fact is that the famous Bulgarian ecclesiastic Hilarion Makariopolski is buried in the church yard.
Thanks for your time, I hope you enjoyed the post. See you soon and happy travels 🥰