The 571-year-old Fener Greek Orthodox School in Istanbul, one of Türkiye’s oldest educational institutions, faces the prospect of evacuation after failing to meet the required earthquake reinforcement costs exceeding 10 million euros ($11.5 million).
The Education Ministry has officially informed the school that it must vacate its historic building within 90 days due to concerns over structural safety.
According to the school’s principal, Dimitri Zotos, the administration lacks the financial resources to fund the seismic strengthening project.
“All schools in Türkiye are required to conduct earthquake resistance tests, which are highly costly,” Zotos told weekly newspaper Agos. “We informed Education Minister Yusuf Tekin about our financial limitations during his visit in 2023. Although the ministry and Istanbul Governor’s Office supported the testing process, the decision to evacuate came as an unexpected development in mid-September.”
The institution has now begun searching for a new building to ensure that education continues without disruption. “Our priority is to prevent any harm to our students. We have informed all community institutions of our situation.” Zotos said.
“Everyone knows our resources are limited, but we cannot relocate to a building that is unfit for education or lacks seismic safety certification. Our goal is to keep the school’s name and legacy alive under the same sign, as it has been for 571 years,” he added.
Established in 1454 under an agreement between Patriarch Gennadios and Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, the Fener Greek School has long stood as a symbol of the Greek Orthodox community’s intellectual heritage.
The current building, designed by architect Konstantinos Dimadis, sits on land owned by Moldovan Prince Dimitri Cantemir and is renowned for its fortress-like red-brick architecture overlooking the Golden Horn.
Today, only about 30 students are enrolled in the school. Across Türkiye, roughly 300 students continue to study in Greek minority schools.
