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Hagia Irene (Aya İrini)

As the first church built in Constantinople, Hagia Irene (Holy Peace) was commissioned by Constantine I in the 320s CE and served as the imperial capital’s primary cathedral before the erection of Hagia Sophia in 360 CE.

Rebuilt by Justinian I following the 532 CE Nika Riots, the domed basilica holds a unique place in Istanbul’s architectural heritage: it was never converted into a mosque following the 1453 Ottoman conquest.

Instead, situated within the outer courtyard of Topkapı Palace, it served as the imperial armory and later as the empire’s first military museum.

Today, it stands extraordinarily preserved, featuring a rare Iconoclastic-era mosaic cross in its apse.