St. Esprit Cathedral: Papa Was There

St. Esprit Cathedral resides in Harbiye, on Cumhuriyet Street and next to Babil Street. It had very busy times a couple of months ago, because it hosted Pope Francis.

Today it is surrounded by Notre Dame de Sion High School. The entrance is from Cumhuriyet Street side. It has a lovely yard and a Papa XV. Benedictus statue on it. If you walk the rear street, the Papa Roncalli Street, you can see the bell tower. (The Vatican Consulate is also on the Papa Roncalli Street.)



The construction started in 1845 and the cathedral was open to worship in 1846. The architect is Gaspard Fossati. The cathedral was damaged by an earthquake in 1865. There is an underground grave, which was active until 1927. The grave of Giuseppe Donizetti, who founded Mizika-i Humayun (a military band), is there.

How to go to St. Esprit Cathedral?

It is very easy to visit St. Esprit. It resides in a beautiful district with convenient transportation. There is the bus stop, TRT Istanbul Radyosu, just in front of the high school. If you come from Taksim, you'll have to cross the road. If you come from Mecidiyekoy, you'll be there. You can also walk to and from Taksim, Nisantası, Tesvikiye, Macka and even Besiktas.

If possible, don't miss the Sunday service!