Crimea Memorial Church
The Crimea Memorial Church, also known as "Christ Church", is a Church of England church in the Beyoglu - Taksim district of Istanbul, Turkey. History. The current church was built on land donated by Sultan Abdulmecit and was constructed between 1858 and 1868 in memory of British soldiers who had participated in the Crimean War. The idea of building a memorial church in Istanbul was first raised in 1856 and a competition held. Designs were submitted by the architect William Burges and he was declared the winner. However, in-fighting on the approval committee, coupled with concerns regarding  the supposed "un-English" style of Burges' design, led to his being removed as architect in 1863 and his replacement by George Edmund Street. The church was completed by the end of the 19th century and closed in 1978 due to the lack of a congregation. It re-opened in 1991.