Church of St. Anthony of Padua

The largest Roman Catholic church in Istanbul rises along İstiklal Avenue in a striking red-brick neo-Gothic design completed in the early twentieth century. Built by the city's Italian Levantine community, it features pointed arches, a rose window and a serene arcaded forecourt set back from the busy boulevard. A future pope served here as a papal envoy, and his statue stands in the courtyard. Open to the passing crowds outside, the church offers a soaring interior and remains an active centre of Catholic worship.