The Phanar Greek Orthodox College
Established in 1454, the Phanar Greek Orthodox College, known in Greek as the Great School of the Nation, is the oldest surviving and most prestigious Greek Orthodox school in Istanbul, Turkey. Erected between 1881 and 1883, the current school building is located near the Church of St. George in the neighborhood of Fener (Phanar in Greek), which is the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. It is known among the locals with nicknames such as The Red Castle and The Red School. The large dome at the top of the building is used as an observatory for astronomy classes and has a large antique telescope inside. Today the school, which is the "second largest" school after the Zografeion Lyceum, has six Turkish teachers, while the remaining fifteen are Greek. The school (like all minority schools, as it is compulsory by law) applies the full Turkish curriculum in addition to Greek subjects: Greek language, literature and religion.
(Text source: Wikipedia; Image credit: Giorgos Kogias / Kathimerini)
