Known
in antiquity as Neapolis ( New City ), records show that
the name of the district was changed to Genikoy ( Geni
Village ) after the conquest of Istanbul. Families from
the Romanian district of Geni settled here then. In the
days of Suleyman the Magnificent ( 16th century ) its
name was changed to Yenikoy. The Greek inhabitants used
the name Neohorion ( meaning Yenikoy, New Village ).
The
largest church in Yenikoy is the Aghios Gheorghios. There
is a picture of the Kamariotissa Virgin inside the church.
The Surp Hovhannes Migirdic Church, housing a large oil
painting of Jesus in a gilded frame, is also in the district.
The Yenikoy Synagogue ( 19th century ) was built by Count
Abraham de Camondo.
Sait
Halim Pasa Yalisi, badly damaged by fire in 1995, should
be mentioned as the foremost among the other important
buildings in Yenikoy. The mansion was designed by Architect
Petraki Adamanti in the 19th century and took its name
from Egyptian Khedive Mehmet Ali Pasa's grandson, Sait
Halim Pasa. According to some sources, Nikolaos Aristarkes
Yalisi stood on the same spot in the 18th century. Among
the attractive mansions lining the shore, Cezayirliyan
Yalisi is important. The mansion, together with the land
around it, was given by Abdulhamid II to Franz-Joseph
I, Austro-Hungarian Emperor. The building was restored
to become the Austrian Summer Embassy ( 19th century ).
Today it is the Austrian Consulate-General and Cultural
Centre.
Afif
Pasa Yalisi ( 20th century ) was built by Koca Resit Pasa's
daughter Ferendiz Hanim. It was later purchased by Ahmet
Afif Pasa. The waterside residence of Aleksandrios Karateodori
Pasa is a building by Sarkis Balyan. Aleksandrios Karateodori
Pasa was the son of Dr. Stefanos Karateodori, founder
of Imperial School of Medicine.
Where is ISTANBUL ?
