Sivriada: A Princes' Island, Yet Inauspicious

Sivriada is the westernmost of the Princes’ Islands, located just 1.7 km from Yassıada and 11 km from Fenerbahçe Cape on Istanbul’s Asian shore. Its Turkish name refers to its sharp, steep form, while its ancient Greek name, Oxia, also means “sharp.”

It rises like a jagged tooth from the Sea of Marmara. Deserted except for the shrieking gulls that wheel above its bare slopes, the island offers no water, no food, and almost no shade. Only a few hardy trees cling stubbornly to its surface. Yet, among them are surprisingly sandalwoods.

An elevated view of the pointed, rocky Sivriada Island across the calm blue sea, with numerous birds in flight. The photograph is taken from a rocky hilltop on Yassıada (Democracy and Liberties Island). — Sivriada Island Vista from Yassıada

Too harsh to inhabit, silence dominated Sivriada from the beginning – except when silence was useful.

In the Byzantine era, the island served two opposing functions: sanctuary and punishment. Here came monks seeking solitude, and prisoners of the empire, exiled to obscurity. Among them were the monk Plato of Sakkoudion, the general Bardas Skleros, and two notable patriarchs, John of Antioch and Michael II of Constantinople.

A ground-level view of a dried, cracked, rocky area with a small puddle, leading up to a large cliff. — The rugged cliffs of Sivriada

For centuries, the island’s stone was quarried and shipped to Istanbul, shaping the city’s foundations. Though, the quarry is now abandoned, its small pier remains a landing place for passing yachts and curious day-trippers.

Behind the pier stands the ghost of a monastery. Its crumbling red-tiled arches date back to the reign of Emperor Nikephoros I (802–805). The Oxia Monastery was once a home for devoted ascetics. Today, it still whispers through the ruined cisterns on the hillside and ivy-covered stones that line the shore.

A section of an old stone wall ruin is seen from an angle, with a bare-branched tree in front of it and green plants on the ground.

An old stone wall ruin is partially visible through a thick tangle of bare branches and dry bushes.

In front of the monastery’s ruins, a modest grove of willows and fruit trees still stands. They are remnants of the care once given by the monks who called this harsh island home. This small patch of green offers a softness amid the rocky terrain: a quiet echo of how people once shaped nature to meet their needs

A wide-angle shot from a concrete jetty extending into the sea, with an island featuring buildings visible in the distance. — A View of Yassıada from the Sivriada Jetty

The darkest chapter in Sivriada’s history came not in ancient times but in the modern times, in particular in the summer of 1911.

In an attempt to “cleanse” the streets of stray dogs, Istanbul’s mayor Suphi Bey ordered thousands of animals rounded up and abandoned in Sivriada. The number reached nearly 80,000. With no food or fresh water, the dogs perished slowly. Some perished from thirst and starvation, while others, driven by despair, threw themselves into the sea.

For days, it’s said, the howls could be heard across the water. Silence followed – then, an earthquake. Many in Istanbul saw it as divine punishment. Suphi Bey’s name became synonymous with cruelty. Ever since, the island has been called Hayırsızada – “The Inauspicious Island.”

A historical caricature depicting a chaotic street scene in Istanbul. Dog catchers on a horse-drawn cart are trying to grab street dogs with large tongs, while angry residents protest and rescue the animals.

A historic postcard with a sepia tone, showing a standing street dog surrounded by other dogs lying on a barren surface. The French text 'Les chiens de rue' and 'Salut de Constantinople' is printed at the bottom.

A grainy, black-and-white historic photograph showing a very large, crowded group of street dogs on a rocky, outdoor surface, looking somber and distressed.

The 2010 short documentary, “Modern Bir Sürgün Hikayesi” (Wind, Carry My Voice), preserves the memory of this tragedy through historic footage and eyewitness interviews. You can watch the archived film here.

In recent years, developers proposed building a hotel and convention center on Sivriada. The project sparked public outcry and legal challenges, eventually blocked by court ruling on the grounds of environmental and historical protection.

Today, Sivriada remains untouched. Accessible only by private boat, it draws curious boaters and divers. Its isolation has preserved a rich underwater ecosystem and made the island a sanctuary for nesting seabirds. For this reason, the island is frequented by birdwatchers and underwater photographers alike.