Surp Pirgiç Armenian Catholic Church

Surp Pirgiç Church, also known as the Church of the Holy Savior, is located in the Karaköy district of Istanbul. It was built by the decree of Sultan Mahmud II in 1831 in honor of the Armenian Catholics living in the Ottoman Empire. The foundation of the church was laid by Archbishops Nuriciyan and Çukuryan in 1832, and it was opened for worship in 1834. The church was built of brick with donations from the Armenian Catholic Society. It was the first building constructed by Armenian Catholics in Istanbul, and it became a symbol of their faith and culture in the city.