The Patriarch's Palace

The main tourist area of Istanbul, which takes in the Haghi Sophia; Blue Mosque; and Sultan's Palace is fine, but I needed a change.  I needed to see something different.  I needed some exercise, a long walk.  So, first, I caught a tram down to the Bosphorous quayside.  Here, there were several mosques like the one in the pictures below.  There were many mosques in Istanbul.  They gave the city its character and shape.  Like the Bosphorous, they sculptured the city.

As can be seen, the Bosphorous has a dark, swirling presence.  My journey would take me 30-40 minutes.  Mostly, it would be alongside the Bosphorous.  I was told to look out for a 'Russian church', that the Patriarch's Palace would be near there.  As it turned out, it was a Bulgarian church.  The Bulgarian church wasn't open.  It was being 'repaired', but I got the feeling it may never open again.

The church seemed like a relic.  But still, it pointed me there, up to the Patriarch's Palace.  Almost hidden at the top of the houses.

But when I got there, it was all locked up.  It was all chained up.  It was an imprisoned red-brick building.  A relic like the Bulgarian church.  A sad dying relic (later, I found out it was now used as a school). 

How could this have happened?  I met a French guy up there.  He was equally disappointed.  Then, it all came back.  A couple of years ago, I'd read about it.  The Patriarch of Constantinople had moved out.  He'd moved out of his Palace into an ordinary house (in the Fenner district of the city, I think).  It would be a steep walk down.

I would soon be walking back.  Or would I?