page_title: Princes' Islands
section_title: Büyükada
hierarchical_section_title: Princes' Islands / Islands / Büyükada
caption_attribution_description: Typical house in Büyükada, Turkey
context_page_description: The Prince Islands or Kızıl Adalar in Turkish, officially just Adalar, are an archipelago off the coast of Istanbul, Turkey, in the Sea of Marmara. The islands constitute the Adalar district of Istanbul Province. The mayor of the Adalar district is Erdem Gül.
  They consist of four larger islands, Büyükada with an area of 5.46 km², Heybeliada with an area of 2.4 km², Burgazada with an area of 1.5 km², Kınalıada with an area of 1.3 km², and five much smaller ones, Sedef Adası with an area of 0.157 km², Yassıada with an area of 0.05 km², Sivriada with an area of 0.05 km², Kaşık Adası with an area of 0.006 km², and Tavşan Adası with an area of 0.004 km².
context_section_description: Büyükada (meaning "Big Island"; Greek: Πρίγκηπος, romanized: Prínkēpos) is the largest of the nine islands comprising the Princes' Islands in the Marmara Sea, close to Istanbul.
  As on the other islands, motorized vehicles – except service vehicles – are forbidden, so visitors explore the island by foot; by riding a bicycle (numerous bicycle shops rent them with hourly prices); or in horse-drawn phaeton carriages which function like taxi cabs, also offering "round-the-island" sightseeing tours.
  A convent on Büyükada was the place of exile for the Byzantine empresses Irene, Euphrosyne, Theophano, Zoe and Anna Dalassena. After his deportation from the Soviet Union in February 1929, Leon Trotsky also stayed for four years on Büyükada, his first station in exile. Princess Fahrelnissa Zeid was born on the island.
  There are several historical buildings on Büyükada, such as the Ayia Yorgi Church and Monastery dating back to the sixth century, the Ayios Dimitrios Church, and the Hamidiye Mosque built by Abdul Hamid II. Büyükada consists of two peaks. The one nearest the iskele (ferry landing), Hristos, is topped by the former Greek Orphanage, a huge wooden building now known as the Prinkipo Environmental Center. In the valley between the two hills sit the church and monastery of Ayios Nikolaos and a former fairground called Luna Park. Visitors can take the 'small tour' of the island by buggy, leading to this point, from where it is an easy climb to Ayia Yorgi, a tiny church with a café on the grounds serving wine, chips and sausage sandwiches, this being part of the "classic" Ayia Yorgi (St. George, in Greek: Άγιος Γεώργιος) experience.
caption: One of numerous Ottoman era mansions which line the streets of Büyükada
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