Ahrida Synagogue

Ahrida Synagogue sits quietly in Istanbul’s colorful Balat neighborhood and is one of Turkey’s oldest prayer houses, tracing its roots to the 1400s.

It was built by Jews who moved from Ohrid, in present-day North Macedonia, after Ottomans opened their doors, so the building carries both Romaniote and Sephardic customs.

The synagogue’s most eye-catching detail is bimah, or reading platform shaped like a ship’s front, it stands for rescue and the journey of its early makers.

Today, Ahrida still holds services and special holy days, reminding everyone who stops by that Jewish life in the Golden Horn is far from over.

To visit, guests need to book a time with Chief Rabbinate.