Phanar Greek Orthodox College

The Greek Orthodox College Phanar ( Fener Rum Lisesi Özel Turkish ), in Greek as the Great School of the Nation (Greek Μεγάλη του Γένους Σχολή Megáli tou Genous scholi ) is known, the oldest surviving Greek Orthodox School is in Istanbul.

Founded in 1454 by Matheos Kamariotis, she was soon appointed to the school of the prominent Greek ( Phanariots ) and Bulgarian families in the Ottoman Empire, and many Ottoman ministers as well as the Ottoman State Wallachian and Moldavian prince Dimitrie Cantemir as graduate here.

The current school building is located next to the Cathedral of St. George in the Fener district, which is the seat of the Patriarchate. It is at the local population under the name " Red Castle " or " The Red School" known.

Designed by Ottoman Greek architect Konstantinos Dimadis the building between 1881 and 1883 was expanded with a mixture of different style elements, for a price of 17,210 Ottoman gold pounds, a large sum for that era. The money was provided by Georgios Zariphis, a Greek- Ottoman banker and financier who belonged to the community of Constantinople Rûm. Despite the use as a university, the building was often called " the fifth largest castle in Europe " called - because of its castle-like shape. The large dome on the top of the building is used as an observatory for astronomy teaching and includes a large telescope.

Today the school has six Turkish teachers while the remaining fifteen Greeks. Because of the minority law school applies in addition to the Greek subjects ( Greek language, literature and religion) to the Turkish curriculum.