The largest wooden building in Europe, ruined, will be transformed into a luxury hotel by the Patriarchate of Greece
The Greek Orthodox orphanage Princeipo, the largest wooden building in Europe, located off the coasts of Istanbul, could be saved from degradation by transforming it into a luxury hotel. The Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has unanimously approved the development plans.
Greek Orthodox orphanage Princeipo, the largest wooden building in Europe: FB
The historical structure on the island of Buyukada (Princeipo) has been closed for decades. Sources indicate that long -term rental agreements with investors from Turkey, Greece and multinational hotel chains are taken into account, according to ekathimerini.com.
Built in 1898 by the Franco-Ottoman architect Alexandre Vallaury as a planned luxury hotel, the building has never received operating permits from Sultan Abdul Hamid II.
In 1903, it was bought by Eleni Zarifi, the wife of a prominent Greek banker, who donated it to the Ecumenical Patriarchate to be used as an orphanage.
Over the years, thousands of orphaned children have grown and educated, in a complex that included bedrooms, kitchens, workshops, a chapel, classrooms and a large forested land.
The building served thousands of children until the Turkish authorities sealed it in 1964. After long legal battles, the European Court of Human Rights ordered the return of the Patriarchate in 2010.
According to the quoted publication, the estimates regarding the restoration suggest that at least 60 million euros would be needed to conversion the unique structure from an architectural point of view.
