Kınali Island is almost 1.5 km in length and the width of the island is 1.1 km. It is the fourth largest of the Princes’ Islands in the Marmara Sea. There are three large hills on the island. They are  Çınar Hill, located on the western part of the island,  Teşvikiye Hill (115 meters), located next to Çinar Hill, and Hristo Peak (93 m), on top of which is Hristo Monastery. During the Byzantine period, the island most used as a place of exile (the most notable exile being the former Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes after the Battle of Manzikert in 1071). It is rumoured that the grave of the  Romanos IV Diogenes is located next to the present orphanage. Manastır Bay is located on the western side of the Hristo Hill. There are both big and small mining holes on the northern section of Manastır Bay, which draw the attention of the visitors.

The climate of the Kınalıada is harsher than that of the other islands. It does not have a significant amount of woodland, but it does has a stone-rich environment. The Byzantine Walls were built with these stones, cut out from the quarry on the island during the Byzantine time and they were also used for building the Tophane Dock and Haydarpaşa Port in the 19th century. Because the climate of the island is harsh and has a limited woodland, summer house vacationists of Istanbul have  not been interested in this island. After 1833, the first Armenian population settled on the island and with the initiation of ferry services in 1846, they become the dominant population on the island. After they settled on the island, they built the Surp Krikor Lusavoriç Armenian Church and the Nersesyan Armenian School in 1857 which played a key role in vitalizing the island. Ethnically, it is a cosmopolitan island with a population of 3,943 in 1990. In 1997, the population in the island decreased to 2,539 and in 2000, it rose to 3,318.

The major buildings built by the Greek minority on the island are the Orthodox Panayia Church and the Greek Elementary School built in 1869, and classesin the Turkish Elementary School on the island began in 1935. The other place of worship on the island is for Muslims is the Kınalıada Mosque which has a different architectural design and was built in 1963.

There was no water or electricity in the island’s houses until 1947, when electricity arrived to the island’s homes. Islanders were provided with clean water from cisterns. In 1981, the water shortage problem in the island was solved by building a water distribution network connected with the mainland.

After the ownership of the island passed into the possession of the Danon Family, the people of Istanbul were encouraged to use its beach as a public beach. Later, when the Dinckok family took the possession of the island, they built a concrete breakwater on the coastline above Burgazada. However, after extensive efforts to preserve the island in that time, the Islanders Fellowship Association took action to prevent settlement from being established on the island to avoid damaging the natural structure of the island. Thus, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality took aggressive measures to prevent illegal housing and to preserve the natural beauty of the island. As such, the island is closed to the general public today and has been preserved through this action.

While the population of the island mostly consisted of Turkish citizens of Greek origins, native Turks with a higher level of income began immigrating to the island during the 20th century. During the 1930s, the island’s population was approximately 1,000 in winter time and 2,000 in summer time. In 1990, its population was 2,311 in the winter time bur fell to 1,578 in 2000. The island’s population is approximately 15,000 during summer time.

In the 1950s, after a number of Jewish merchants settled in Burgazada. This caused a sharp increase in the price of housing. The very wealthy people who settled there built summer villas and houses along the hillsides above Heybeliada. In addition to these villas, waterside houses, kiosks and sanctuaries built at regular intervals add an important aspect the island’s architecture.

The Aya Yani Church, whose history begins well before the conquest of Istanbul, has a special importance in the history of Burgazada. The church, estimated to be built in 876 CE, was overhauled several times and has taken its present shape after restoration in 1896. There is a dungeon located under the church with 11 stairs leading to it. It is rumoured that a priest named Methodius stayed in this dungeon and was later appointed as the church’s priest. Throughout history, it has been known by differenty names, the most known of which are Antigoni, Castrum, Panarmos. The Hristos Monastery and the Saint Georges Hospital are also located on the island. In addition, the famous Ayazma (holy spring of Orthodox Greeks ) called Ayios Loanis, is a place that can be visited on the island. The Burgazda Sanatorium, one of the first sanatoriums of Istanbul, was established on the island in 1928. The only mosque of the island is called the Burgazada Mosque and was built in commemoration of the 500 year anniversary of the conquest of Istanbul in 1453.

The forest which covered the island fell into ruin after the conflagration of 2003. In active collaboration with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and other organizations, the island has begun replantation efforts in recent years which have gradually begun to work. Because of this, islanders have begun to understand the value of keeping the island green. There is a single mountain on the island called called Hristos peak with a height of 170 meters. “Hristos Peak” is the old name of the mountain, and it is now called “Bayrak Peak,”and it presents the best pictures of the seascape. Mezarlık Cope (Kumbaros Cope) and Kalpazankaya are located in front of the Hristos Monastery and are among the many beauties and natural wonders of the island to be seen by visitors.

Evliya Chelebi (1611-1684), the famous 17th centruy Ottoman traveler and writer, described the island’s castle in his famous book, “Seyahatname,” as being a small castle, foursquared, and located on an escarpment edge on the seaside. The width of the island was described to be 10 miles with very fertile land. He also noted that during this period, there were 300 houses on the island and all of them had gardens and fresh water wells. In addition, the  islanders were of Greek of Turkish nationalities. There were also churches and many goats and rabbits on the island. There were innumerable vineyards on the mountains and wealthy mariners inhabited the island.

Sait Faik Abasıyanık is one of the leading Turkish writers of short stories and the most important figures of the island. Today, his residence in the island is maintained as a museum and his name is also given to the island’s square located in front of the port.  Another importance of Burgazada for Istanbul is that the first private zoo was established on the island.