Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople

The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople sits tucked away in the Fener district, identified by a large, ornate gate that has remained sealed for centuries. This compound serves as the spiritual headquarters of the Eastern Orthodox Church, led by the Ecumenical Patriarch who is considered first among equals within the global Orthodox community. While the complex appears modest from the outside, it has been the administrative and symbolic center of the faith since the seventeenth century, following a long history of transitions between various churches in the city.