Istanbul's historical Greek orphanage, known as Europe's largest and world’s second-largest timber building, is set to be salvaged after decades of involuntary disuse that has left the edifice almost in ruins. Experts, meanwhile, warn that ongoing restoration efforts are still far from reassuring.
Preliminary work to salvage the 123-year-old building, an edifice situated on a hilltop on the island of Buyukada off the coast of Istanbul, began earlier this year through the coordination of the Istanbul municipality and Ecumenical Patriarchate, the owner of the site. In May, a construction company run by the Istanbul municipality reproduced the visual image of the structure mapping the current condition of the building and analyzing the damages. The survey will serve as a groundwork for the restoration project.
