Historic Bulgarian church in Istanbul to reopen Sunday

A 120-year-old Bulgarian Church in Istanbul is set to reopen on Sunday on completion of renovation works.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov are expected to attend the opening ceremony.

The orthodox church, also known as St. Stephen Church, is located in the historic Balat neighborhood on the shore of the city’s Golden Horn.

It had been undergoing major restoration works, co-funded by the Istanbul metropolitan municipality in association with the Bulgarian authorities, for seven years.

It was rebuilt in 1898 from prefabricated cast iron elements after its former wooden structure caught fire.