What is the Greek Valoukli Hospital in Istanbul that was destroyed by fire – It had burned down again

An alarm has been raised in Constantinople for Greek hospital Valuklis, why did it break out? fire in its roof and quickly extended to the exterior cladding of the building. In Greece, this particular structure may have become famous because of the tragic incident, but behind it hides a long history of centuries, with the valuable services it has offered to thousands of people.

As stated on its official website Valouklis hospitalit’s about one of the three hospitals of the Greek community in Istanbulwhile was created in 1753 from cooperative of Greek towns.

The goal was to the infectious diseases of the time, which were on the rise, were treatedespecially in the large urban centers, such as in the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

Originally it was one small wooden buildingwith its place now taken by the garden of a European school and served a few patients, mainly Greek. In 1790 it was almost completely destroyed by fire that broke out, with Patriarch Neophytos was collecting large sums of money for its reconstruction.

So it is built again and in a new location, while 1794 is considered a turning point for the hospital with the next century seeing its heyday. Then the Patriarchate clashed with the hospital’s management, which was made up of doctors, as the former ordered that general patients, even orphans, be accepted, despite the fact that the facilities could only serve people with infectious diseases.

The “golden” century

So the Patriarchate, it fires the management and appoints its own peoplewhile some time later gives money so that new units can be built to be able to cope with the increased needs.

By the mid-19th century it had acquired wards for the mentally ill and facilities that could treat patients with various illnesses and ailments.

Afterwards, its administration merged with the other two hospitals of the Greek community, while it was transferred to another part of Istanbul to it has the ability to serve patients that are not related to infectious diseasessince with the progress of medicine, outbreaks of epidemics are decreasing.

APA and the uprooting of the Greek minority

THE advent of the 20th century it looks like a golden opportunity for the hospital, though it is actually his period of declineas he then went through dark years.

Initially, according to the APP begins to receive thousands of patients and indeed without religious or ethnic discrimination. However, the crises in the Ottoman Empire and the financial crisis of the time lead the hospital to “lock” many departments.

As the years go by, it begins to lose prestige, quality and patients, while with the persecution of the Greek community in Constantinople, it is running out of doctors.

The 1991 Well, the then administration is called upon to make the big decision. It will either close the hospital or undergo a radical overhaul so it can keep it open. Finally, the second choice was made and by 2011 it reached the point of serving 40,000 to 50,000 people annually and regain a glory and justify its glorious past.