Hagia Irene

5-10 minutes max, it’s very old and you can feel it Included in the museum pass

Very hard to locate a park or visit these sites due to the crowds and hot weather. The area is very secured and peacful. It is the historical part of .. Read more »Istanbul. However, the traffic is well organized and smooth but with long waiting times.

This beautiful church is one of the oldest in Istanbul. This was location of the ecumenical council of Istanbul held in 381 AD. It is located on the g.. Read more »rounds of the Topkapi palace. It is one of the churches in Turkey that has been converted to a mosque. This is because it was used as an armory for storage of weapons. Because this church was rebuilt during the iconoclastic era, it lacks paintings of any kind except for a cross

Magically beautiful. After turning Ayasofya into a mosque, it didn't appear as a surprise how badly this place is neglected. Shame Shame Shame...

this is a beautiful rugged stone interior, the raw bones and undecorated with masses of windows, domes and arches , under renovation at moment but a.. Read more » great contrast to other churches and mosques .

Did not get to go inside but it is truly a beautiful church. Our guide mentioned that classical music performances are still carried out here in moder.. Read more »n times which was nice to hear.

Amazing, very old byzantine church. You can hear the doves singing and admire the architectural structure.

Hagia Irene (Greek: Αγίας Ειρήνης) or Hagia Eirene (Byzantine Greek: Ἁγία Εἰρήνη Greek pronunciation: [aˈʝia iˈrini], "Holy Peace", Turkish: Aya İrini.. Read more »), sometimes known also as Saint Irene, is an Eastern Orthodox church located in the outer courtyard of Topkapı Palace in Istanbul. It is one of the few churches in Istanbul that has not been converted into a mosque, as it was used as an arsenal for storing weapons until the 19th century.The Hagia Irene today operates as a museum and concert hall.

It was beautiful if only they don’t strip the church decoration

Very disappointed to have visited while it was under construction and therefore the view was limited. What was seen was terrific though. The ticket of.. Read more »fice was also transparent in that they mentioned it was under construction

Very old church it's just mesmerizing that it still stands and you can see the inside. You can enter there together with Topkapı palace ticket. Very i.. Read more »nteresting inside but there is no much details to see since it's so old there is almost nothing left inside.

Historical / educational zone area that had many intellectuals passing through over the centuries. Felt good to be here!

Quite empty and in shabby condition. Not sure if the place is under restoration .. we aren’t architecture or religious experts so didn’t find much to .. Read more »see. We had the museum pass so didn’t pay extra entrance fees, otherwise I wouldn’t pay to visit the inside.

The only Church from the Byzantine era which still remains a Church. It wasn't converted into a mosque because it was used as a weapons storage facili.. Read more »ty. Don't need much time here but it's beautiful, dark and quiet.

This is a small place between Muhamed ans iya Sofia

It would have been an amazing place if it was not destroyed inside... You still can feel the glory of the past, see some fragments of frescas, sense t.. Read more »he aura of the place but observing the almost bare walls and pigeons makes you very sad...

The place is not ready yet ( under construction ) and they sell the tickets. Thats milking the tourists

We paid 80 lirah for entrance but it's really not worth it so I do not recommend, you won't see anything special except old building, debris which is .. Read more »falling and part of church which has been buried under earth. Based on Wikipedia it is sometimes known also as Saint Irene, which is located in the outer courtyard of Topkapı Palace in Istanbul. It is one of the few churches in Istanbul that has not been converted into a mosque, as it was used as an arsenal for storing weapons until the 19th century. The Hagia Irene today operates as a museum and concert hall.

I’m sure it used to be great although now there is not much on display. Its still a structural marvel though.

Hagia Eirene is being extensively restored, you are not allowed to go to 2nd floor.Absolutely I'm going to come back when the restoration work is done.. Read more ».⛪

An amazing Justinianian church left alone to be a bird house with one and only net, trying to avoid any further damage by the pigeons. The Iconoclast .. Read more »cross of the 8th century is something to be seen and admired by the visitor, but the sense of abandoment is profound. As far as I know, there used to be some concerts in the building, one can still see some band furniture left alone. Shame to the officials.

Such a great solemn spiritual place to visit. Has a special feel to it. And if you are looking for Museum Passes this location is the easiest place.

I LOVED this site. It is still being restored, bit iris hauntingly beautiful.

Nothing to see there for the money they charge. Absolute rip off at staggering 60 tl. Even with the student discout at 20 tl it is not worth it. Shame.. Read more »less staff working at the door.

Hagia Irene or Saint Irene, is an Eastern Orthodox church located in the outer courtyard of Topkapı Palace in Istanbul. It is one of the few churches .. Read more »in Istanbul that has not been converted into a mosque, as it was used as an arsenal for storing weapons until the 19th century.The Hagia Irene today operates as a museum and concert hall. The church was dedicated to the peace of God, and is one of the three shrines which emperors devoted to God's attributes, together with Hagia Sophia (Wisdom) and Hagia Dynamis.

This place is undergoing huge renovations. The lady at the ticket window told me about the renovation and that I can spend up to maximum 4 minutes ins.. Read more »ide for 60 Lira. She advised me to visit Topkapi instead . I tried to look inside but the lady at entrance said it's "forbidden" to look inside from the outside ?

Very disappointing they did not keep the Roman Emperors. Shame I had to miss seeing them.

Hagia Sophia is considered a unique monument in world architecture, and its magnificence and functionality has been a good example in construction of .. Read more »countless Ottoman mosques. Hagia Sophia with its exceptional history constitutes a synthesis between east and west. This monument is one of the wonders of the world that has remained intact until the present day. One can find many attractions in Hagia Sophia – interesting forms of Byzantine architecture, mosaics of the Christian period as well as structures added during the Ottoman era. Hagia Sophia has been a Christian place of worship for 916 years, then converted into a mosque and served Muslims for 481 years. Hagia Sophia Museum was opened in 1935 and ever since it has been attracting thousands of visitors every year. According to Byzantine historians (Theophanes, Nikephoros, Grammarian Leon) the first building of Hagia Sophia church was established during the reign of Constantius I (324 – 337 AD). It was a basilica with a wooden roof, and it was burned down during a revolt. Nowadays there is no evidence of this structure. During the reign of emperor Theodosius Hagia Sophia was built for the second time and opened to the public in 415 AD. The basilica was again burned down during the Nika Revolt in 532 AD. Some ruins of this building were discovered during excavations in 1936. There were stairs indicating the entrance of the building, columns, capitals and other fragments of the building. Emperor Justinian (527 – 565 AD) wanted to build a church bigger than two previous ones, which would represent the power and magnificence of empire. The new building of Hagia Sophia was designed by two famous architects of that era – Isidoros from Miletos and Anthemios of Tralles. Many columns, capitals, marble and colourful stone were brought to Istanbul from various ancient cities in Anatolia and used in construction works of Hagia Sophia. The works were commenced on December 23, 532 AD and completed on December 27, 537. The new building consisted of a large central nave and two side aisles, separated by columns, apse, inner and outer narthex. The size of the inner space of basilica is 100 X 70m and it is covered by the magnificent dome (diametre 30.31 m), supported by the four large piers, 55 m high. Besides the unique architecture of the building, the mosaics are also important artefacts of the period. The oldest mosaics – gold gilded with geometrical and floral designs - may be found in the inner narthex as well as in side naves. Figural mosaics (with images of Jesus Christ, Virgine Maria etc.) from 9th – 12th centuries are located on Emperor Door, apse, exit doors and upstairs gallery. After the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, the so-called “Turkish period” started, and several repairs were made in Hagia Sophia. The art works surrounding the mihrab includes the best samples of Turkish pottery and calligraphy. The sure is taken from the Koran inscribed on rounded plates of 7.50 m diametre by Kazasker Mustafa İzzet Efendi, a famous Ottoman calligrapher. The names of Allah, Muhammed, Ömer, Osman, Ali, Hasan, Ebu Bekir and Hüseyin are inscribed there. On the sidewalls of mihrab there are plates written and granted by Ottoman sultans. Tombs of Sultan Selim II, Sultan Mehmet III, Sultan Murat III as well as some of their relatives, fountain of Sultan Mahmut I, primary school, soup kitchen, library, Sultan Abdülmecit's meeting place and the mosque timekeeper’s (astronomer’s) house may be found in the territory of Hagia Sophia Museum. All of the above mentioned objects, especially the tombs with their interior design, pottery and architecture are excellent examples of Ottoman tradition.

It’s within the Topkapi Palace Walls. Recognizable on Spot because It Will Seems like a Misplaced Peace in that Location. Nothing Fantastic in the Ins.. Read more »ide but, with Each Stone, It’s Telling the Brutality of History that Passed By

I don’t see how so many people giving this place 5 stars. Nothing inside. Almost every door is locked. Can literally spend 2 minutes in here. If have .. Read more »pass, ok go, but do not buy a ticket here. Follow me on google reviews to learn the real truth about all these museums.

Though the present church dates only from the 6th century, it is at least the third building to be erected on what is thought to be the oldest site of.. Read more » Christian worship in Istanbul. Within a decade of the Muslim conquest of the city in 1453 it had been incorporated within the Topkapı Palace complex and pressed into use as an arsenal. Today the building, which has good acoustics, is the setting for concerts during the Istanbul Music Festival. Inside are three fascinating features that have not survived in any other Byzantine church in the city. The synthronon, the five rows of built-in seats hugging the apse, were occupied by clergy officiating during services. Above this looms a simple black mosaic cross on a gold background, which dates from the iconoclastic period in the 8th century, when figurative images were forbidden. At the back of the church is a cloister-like courtyard where deceased Byzantine emperors once lay in their porphyry sarcophagi. Most have been moved to the Archaeological Museum

Often overlooked by tourists when visiting the Sultanahmet area, this museum which was once a church from the Byzantine times offers its own atmospher.. Read more »e. Once inside, you can feel the eerieness of its massive structural volume with high ceilings. The security guard was a very friendly guy. When my wife and I visited, we were the only people inside and he was nice enough to chat with us (eventhough he barely speaks English) and offered to take a picture of us. Truly wonderful museum!