These days, an important step was taken towards the restoration of a unique monument of Hellenism, heartbreakingly subject to wear and tear by time. It is a Roman orphanage in the Prince of Marmaras, one of the largest wooden buildings in Europe, once humming with children’s voices and left abandoned since the 1960s. sq.m., located on the territory of the complex and the former school of the orphanage. “Our goal is to create a center there, a hotbed of life that will help us raise awareness among citizens and donors so that we can continue our common care for the destroyed orphanage,” says Lakis Vigas.

“I have to say that both the Turkish authorities (Mayor İmamoğlu and the Ministry of Culture) and the people of Prince have supported us and want the building to be in proper condition one day and be as shiny as before. For us Romans, the orphanage is of great importance, since in the eyes of all Constantinople it is connected with our own community. We have a moral duty to work to restore it so that it is a reminder of the strength of Hellenism, and not left abandoned on a hilltop.”

The history of the orphanage is fascinating, full of unexpected twists of fate. It was built in 1898 by a French construction company and designed by the great architect Alexandre Valory. After all, he himself built the symbolic Pera Pallas Hotel and the Archaeological Museum of Constantinople. The goal was to operate as a 206-room luxury hotel and casino for wealthy European clients who would arrive on the Orian Express. However, Abdul-Hamid II considered gambling a great sin. Thus, the operating license was never issued.

The completed building was bought by Elena Zafeyropoulou-Zarifi, wife of the Sultan’s famous Greek banker, for 3,700 gold pounds to become an orphanage and school. The benefactor handed it over to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. For decades it has been a functioning institution offering shelter and education to thousands of children who have lost their families. In 1964, the Turkish authorities evacuated it, citing a fire hazard. The title deed returned to the Patriarchate in 2010 following an appeal to the European Court of Justice. Destroyed by lack of care – wood does not have the strength of concrete – it stands stubbornly upright. In recent years, both the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Romans themselves have tried to change his future. So, the first beam appeared …