Armenians in Istanbul ( hy, Պոլսահայեր, ''Bolsahayer''; tr, İstanbul Ermenileri) are a major part of the Turkish Armenian community and historically one of the largest ethnic minorities of

Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...

. The city is often referred to as Bolis (Պոլիս) by Armenians, which is derived from the ending of the historical name of the city

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...

. Today, most estimations put the number of Armenian-Turkish citizens in Istanbul at 50,000, 60,000 or 70,000. They constitute the largest Christian and non-Muslim minority in Istanbul, as well as in Turkey.

History

The Armenian community was made up of three religious denominations: Armenian Catholic, Armenian Protestant, and

Armenian Apostolic , native_name_lang = hy , icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg , icon_width = 100px , icon_alt = , image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , a ...

, the Church of the vast majority of Armenians. The wealthy, Constantinople-based ''Amira'' class, a social elite whose members included the Duzians (Directors of the Imperial Mint), the Balyans (Chief Imperial Architects) and the Dadians (Superintendent of the Gunpowder Mills and manager of industrial factories). The

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...

Armenian genocide The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily through t ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

began with the deportation of 250 prominent Armenians from Constantinople.

Institutions

At present, the Armenian community in Istanbul has 20 schools (including the Getronagan Armenian High School), 17 cultural and social organizations, three newspapers (''

Agos ''Agos'' (in hy, Ակօս, " furrow") is an Armenian bilingual weekly newspaper published in Istanbul, Turkey, established on 5 April 1996. ''Agos'' has both Armenian and Turkish pages as well as an online English edition. Today, the paper ...

'', '' Jamanak'', and '' Marmara''), two sports clubs ( Şişlispor and

Taksimspor Taksim Spor Kulübü is a sports club located in Beyoğlu, Istanbul, Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian ...

), and two health establishments, as well as numerous religious foundations set up to support these activities.

Notable Armenians from Istanbul

The following is the list of prominent Armenians who either were born in Istanbul (Constantinople) or have worked there. ;Ottoman era (before 1923) * Aram Andonian, journalist *

Arpiar Arpiarian Arpiar Arpiarian ( hy, Արփիար Արփիարեան) (December 21, 1851 – February 12, 1908) was an influential 19th-century Armenian writer, the pioneer of realism in Armenian literature and a political activist. Early life and educati ...

, writer * Balyan family, dynasty of architects *

Hagop Baronian Hagop Baronian (pronounced in Eastern Armenian as Hakob Paronyan, traditional spelling: Յակոբ Պարոնեան, reformed spelling: Հակոբ Պարոնյան, tr, Hagop Baronyan; 1843–1891) was an influential Ottoman Armenian writer, pl ...

, writer, satirist *

Nazaret Daghavarian Nazaret Daghavarian ( hy, Նազարեթ Տաղավարյան, Western Armenian: Նազարէթ Տաղաւարեան, tr, Nazaret Dağavaryan; 1862 in Sebastia, Western Armenia, Ottoman Empire – 1915) was an Ottoman Armenian doctor, agro ...

, doctor *

Erukhan Yervant Srmakeshkhanlian, ( hy, Երուանդ Սրմաքէշխանլեան; 1870 – 1915) known by his pen name Erukhan ( hy, Երուխան) or Yerukhan, was an Armenian writer of late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was killed during the Arm ...

, writer * Hagop Kazazian Pasha, minister of Finance * Komitas Vardapet, musician *

Mkrtich Khrimian Mkrtich Khrimian or ''Mıgırdıç Kırımyan'' ( classical hy, Մկրտիչ Խրիմեան, reformed: Մկրտիչ Խրիմյան; 4 April 182029 October 1907) was an Armenian Apostolic Church leader, educator, and publisher who served as Ca ...

, religious leader, writer * Yervant Odian, writer, satirist * Ruben Sevak, writer *

Levon Shant Levon Shant ( hy, Լեւոն Շանթ; born Levon Nahashbedian, then changed to Levon Seghposian; 6 April 1869 – 29 November 1951) was an Armenian playwright, novelist, poet and founder of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Socie ...

, playwright, writer * Mimar Sinan, architect * Siamanto, writer * Papken Siuni, political activist * Bedros Tourian, poet * Daniel Varujan, poet *

Rupen Zartarian Rupen Zartarian or Ruben Zardaryan ( hy, Ռուբեն Զարդարյան hyw, Ռուբէն Զարդարեան; 1874 – 16 August 1915) was an Armenian writer, educator, and political activist. He was killed by Ottoman authorities during the Arme ...

, writer, educator *

Krikor Zohrab Krikor Zohrab ( hy, Գրիգոր Զոհրապ; 26 June 1861 – 1915) was an influential Armenian writer, politician, and lawyer from Constantinople (now Istanbul). At the onset of the Armenian genocide he was arrested by the Turkish government a ...

, statesman, author ;Republican era (1923–present) *

Arman Manukyan Arman Manukyan ( hy, Արման Մանուկյան, 21 March 1931 – 28 December 2012) was a Turkish lecturer, writer, and economist of Armenians in Turkey, Armenian descent. Biography Arman Manukyan was born in the Tahta Minare neighborhood ...

, professor, writer, economist *

Şahan Arzruni Şahan Arzruni ( hy, Շահան Արծրունի; born 8 June 1943) is an Armenian classical pianist, ethnomusicologist, lecturer, composer, writer and producer, residing in New York City. Early life and education Arzruni (also transliterated ...

, concert pianist * Hrant Dink, journalist, editor, columnist * Agop Dilâçar, linguist of the Turkish language and co-founder of the

Turkish Language Association The Turkish Language Association ( tr, Türk Dil Kurumu, TDK) is the regulatory body for the Turkish language, founded on 12 July 1932 by the initiative of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and headquartered in Ankara, Turkey. The Institution acts as the ...

* Udi Hrant Kenkulian, Turkish classical musician *

Ara Güler Ara Güler ( hy, Արա ԿիւլԷր; 16 August 1928 – 17 October 2018) was an Armenian-Turkish photojournalist, nicknamed "the Eye of Istanbul" or "the Photographer of Istanbul". He was "one of Turkey's few internationally known photographers ...

, photographer * Sevan Nisanyan, writer *Daron Acemoglu, economist *Sevan Bıçakçı, jeweler

History

Institutions

Notable Armenians from Istanbul

See also

References

Further reading