“Famous men have the whole earth as their memorial.”
Thucydides 2.43.3
Coutalianos died as a result of gagrene in one of the rooms of the Balukli Hospital in Istanbul (August 4, 1916). He was buried with honors in the cemetery behind the particular hospital. A few years later, in a modest ceremony, his bones were exhumed, which were brought to his native land, on the island of Coutalis, where they were buried in the forecourt of the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.
The hospital of the Greek community of Istanbul “Baloukli” in a photo of 1901. The legendary Greek wrestler Coutalianos breathed his last in this hospital.
The hospital “Baloukli” in an other old photo. At the back of this hospital, is the old cemetery of the members of the Greek community, where Coutalianos was buried after his death.
Balukli hospital in flames. The hospital building was severely damaged in an arson fire on August 4, 2022. It was reported that mainly offices were burned and the hospital’s records were destroyed. We are not in a position to know exactly what this archive hid, but we are sure that the Turkish state has many reasons for erasing the traces of the Greeks who lived there.
Ruins of the church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary (on the left) and the school (on the right) of island Coutali (today: Ekinlik ada). In the courtyard of this old church, the bones of the legendary wrestler were transferred and buried.
View of the interior of the church as it is today.
Photo taken from another angle.
The architectural plan of the Coutali school.
View of Coutalis in an old photo. It was the time when this island was inhabited exclusively by members of the Greek community.
The philosopher Plato said that “It is impossible to avoid your destiny”. The adventurous life of Coutalianos was ultimately destined to end in a rather inglorious way. But our site was created to restore the historical balance. In the above song performed by the famous Greek singer V. Papakonstantinou, the inevitability of fate is described. The lyrics are written by the Greek poet N. Kavadias.
