Monastery of the Transfiguration, Kınalı
Kınalı is the closest of the islands to Istanbul and was used as a sort of local exile point for embarrassing Byzantines. Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes was deposited here after his defeat by the Selcuks at Manzikert (now Malazgirt) in 1071. He is said to be buried beside the Greek orphanage on Manastır Tepesi (or Hristo Peak). This is in the grounds of the Monastery of the Transfiguration which began life in early Byzantine times. It was destroyed by Admiral John Duckworth during the Anglo-Turkish War of 1807 – 1809 when either (depending on the story) Turkish troops were hiding inside or the monastery refused to give supplies to the navy. In any case, a monastery over a thousand years old was destroyed in a few hours. Some Byzantine fragments are still in the area. Simon Sinosoğlu built a new monastery on the site in the 19th century. A handsome bust of the founder is just inside the gate.
Orphanage building and church.
Open porch of the church of the Monastery of the Transfiguration.
Bust of Simon Sinosoğlu inside the monastery walls.
There was another Byzantine monastery, on a site now within the main town close to the ferry port. The current Greek Church, dedicated to the Panaghia, stands on what is probably the site of that monastery. There are some Byzantine fragments in the grounds of the church and close to the port.
Byzantine carving in the grounds of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Panaghia.
Byzantine fragments near the ferry quay.
Column capital from Byzantine church.
There is a large Armenian presence in Kınalıand it is one of the few places in Istanbul where I have seen Armenian graffiti. The Armenian church and cemetery are the largest and best-kept on the island. There are still some beautiful wooden Armenian houses in the town.
The Armenian Church of St Gregory.
Armenian graffiti
The mosque is an architectural afterthought, built in 1964 in a sort of abstract impressionist style. It ends up looking like a suburban Mormon church. The local dogs, mostly of a husky/basenji type that howl rather than bark, set up a fascinating counterpoint to the call to prayer.
The mosque on Kınalıada.
Kınalı is probably the best place to see the spring and autumn migration of the storks. A line of thousands of the majestic birds can be seen winding their way across the Marmara over the nearby islands of Yassı and Sivri. In the quiet of the island, the swish of multitudes of wings makes an impressive, eerie sound.
The stork migration, October 1992.
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