The Secret Church
Hidden in a cloistered courtyard between busy İstiklal and Meşrutiyet Caddesis in Beyoğlu, the Church of Panaya İsodyon (Our Lady of the Assumption) is one of Istanbul‘s more peaceful places.
The main sanctuary of the church is kept locked behind big iron doors except for services (Sunday morning and special festivals), though the narthex—behind the windows in the photo—is open during the daytime so worshippers can pray quietly before one of the icons or light a candle of remembrance.
Adjoining the Panaya İsodyon’s courtyard is the Hazzopulo Pasajı, a qaint relic of 19th-century Istanbul.