St. Polycarp Catholic Church

Konak / İzmir

St. Polycarp Catholic Church

Established at the intersection of Konak province, Akdeniz Street Gazi Osman Pasa Boulevard, Necatibey Boulevard and Kazım Dirik Street, the church is one of the oldest buildings in İzmir. The church was dedicated to St. Polycarp St. John, who lived between 69 and 155, was one of the first disciples of St. John and was later declared a saint. Despite the pressure of the Roman rulers to give up his belief, Polikarp did not give up his belief, and on 23 February 155, he was burned to death in the Roman Stadium on the skirts of Kadifekale.

The church, as it is repaired today, is a rectangular basilica with three naves in the east-west direction, a bema cut dome. There is a bell tower rising at the south end of the west facade.


The history

The church was built in 1625 with the permission of Sultan Suleiman. It was repaired after the great fire in 1680. With the permission of the Ottoman authorities and the support of Louis 16, it was restored and transformed into a three-nave basilica. The building was enlarged and decorated with chapels during the restoration between 1892-98. At the end of the last century, the young French artist, painter, architect Raymond C. Pere reflected the life story of St. Polycarp on the frescoes he made inside the church.

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