Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople

The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople is marked by a modest, unremarkable iron gate leading into a compound that houses the Church of Saint George. For centuries, this site has served as the spiritual center for Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide. During the Ottoman era, the patriarchate moved several times until settling here in sixteen hundred and one. Patriarch Jeremiah the Second brought his throne to this spot, keeping a tradition alive that dates back to the Roman Empire and the early spread of Christianity.