Istanbul, Turkey
Coordinates: 41.009600, 28.981200
Hagia Irene or Hagia Eirene, “Holy Peace”, Turkish: Aya İrini), sometimes known also as Saint Irene, is an Eastern Orthodox church located in the outer courtyard of Topkapı Palace in Istanbul.
It was built by Emperor Constantine I and it served as a cathedral and the seat of the Greek Patriarch till the construction of its much larger companion church Hagia Sophia (“Holy Wisdom”) in 360 CE.
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.
During the reign of Sultan Ahmet III (1703–1730) it was converted into the National Military Museum in 1726.
For many years, the Hagia Irene was only accessible during events or by special permission, but the museum has been open to the public every day except Tuesday since January 2014.
The interior is an empty shell & the upper level is closed to the public. You can still see the magnificent mosaic cross.
Know This
This church is located inside the Topkapi Palace and an aside ticket must be purchased to visit Hagia Irene.
