The Patriarchate of Constantinople will transfer the premises of the historic orphanage for a hotel complex

The famous Greek orphanage on the island of Prinkipo (Buyukada), which is the largest wooden building in Europe and a significant symbol of Hellenism in Constantinople, will be transformed into a luxury tourist resort. According to the Helleniscope publication, the corresponding statement was made by Patriarch Bartholomew, which provoked sharp criticism of the Church leadership and Greek authorities, accused of «national betrayal» and commercialization of historical memory.

According to the information provided, the transformation project will be realized through the joint efforts of Turkish and Greek construction companies. Patriarch Bartholomew justified the decision on the grounds of extreme necessity, saying that attempts to find funding for the creation of an international center for ecology or interreligious dialogue on the basis of the building had failed. Critics, however, have questioned these claims, pointing to the vast financial resources of the Orthodox Church and the support of wealthy Greek-American tycoons who could have prevented the world heritage monument from being turned over to commercial development.

In official discourse, the agreement is presented as «a symbol of unity, cooperation and friendship between Greece and Turkey.» Nevertheless, the public expresses dissatisfaction with the fact that a sacred piece of real estate is actually sacrificed to profit under the cover of diplomatic rhetoric. The piece emphasizes that while Athens limits itself to patriotic statements, the real levers of historical heritage management are being taken over by Turkish tourism capital.

The irony of the situation is that a building that for decades served as a refuge for vulnerable children will now become a vacation spot for wealthy tourists. Despite the arguments of the project’s supporters that this is the only way to save the deteriorating structure from final destruction, many experts regard what is happening as an unconditional capitulation to profit, sanctioned at the highest ecclesiastical level.