Church of Santa Maria Draperis - Beyoglu

Building architecture

The complex has a neoclassical entrance decorated with a statue of the Virgin Mary in a niche on Istiklal Street, followed by stairs leading to the church. The rectangular building is covered with a barrel vault decorated in 1874 and has three naves. The church has a square bell tower that is not visible from the road. The majestic high altar, built in 1772, is in pink Carrara marble and decorated with an icon donated by Maria Draperis. The church is decorated with four paintings, three of which belong to the Venetian school. The first, painted in 1873 and located to the right as you enter the church, depicts the Immaculate Virgin Mary with two Franciscan saints. The second depicts St. Francis of Assisi receiving the stigmata at La Verna. A painting to the left of the sanctuary depicts the death of St. Joseph, who was helped by Jesus and Mary, while another painting near the entrance depicts St. Roch, the protector against the plague that struck Istanbul many times in the past.

The Via Crucis, the statue of St. Anthony and the fresco in the baptistery are by Franciscan Father Alberto Farina and date from 1959. The two stained glass windows in the apse belong to the German school and depict St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi. Inside the church, several inscribed tombstones from the 18th and 19th centuries (mostly in Italian or Latin) recall wealthy Levantine families, church benefactors, bishops and consuls of European nations in Constantinople.