The development comes after a June 2010 ruling by the
European Human Rights Court returning the property to the
Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Ecumenical Patriarchate Bartholomew previously stated that
the orphanage will be turned into an inter-faith centre
for dialogue and peace.
The orphanage was originally built as a hotel by renowned
French architect Alexandre Vallaury in the 1890′s.
It was subsequently bought in 1903 and donated to the
Patriarchate by Hélène Zafiropoulo-Zarifi,
the wife of Ioannis Zarifi, a banker to then Ottoman
Sultan Abdul Hamid ll, with the stipulation that it be
used as an orphanage for ethnic Greek children.
(source: ana-mpa)
