Bulgarian St. Stephen Church, Eastern Orthodox church building in Balat, Turkey.
The three-domed Bulgarian St Stephen Church features cast iron walls, Gothic Revival architecture, and a 40-meter bell tower overlooking the Golden Horn.
The Ottoman government approved plans for a new Orthodox church along the Golden Horn in 1870 to serve the Bulgarian community. Prefabricated iron pieces arrived from Vienna by boat and workers assembled them on site between 1896 and 1898.
The church holds regular Eastern Orthodox services for the Bulgarian community and maintains traditional religious ceremonies throughout the calendar year.
The entrance sits on a narrow street between Balat and Fener neighborhoods, a short walk from the waterfront. Visitors can enter the building on most days and the interior is open to anyone who remains quiet and respectful.
The building components traveled by boat along the Danube and arrived at the quay directly in front of the construction site. Each metal piece carried a number so workers could assemble the church like a large three-dimensional puzzle.
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