Hagia Irene Museum is one of the best places to visit in Istanbul, which combines modernity and tradition, and reflects the historical past of Istanbul in the most beautiful way.

This historical building, which is used today as a museum, is known as the first church of the Byzantine Empire. With its unique architecture and imposing structure, it is one of the most impressive tourist attractions located in the heart of the city.

Constantine, one of the great emperors of the Roman Empire, wanted to build a church for himself and many other buildings at the beginning of the 4th century. The Hagia Irene Museum was built for this purpose and was named after Penelope, a saint who lived at that time. It has remained one of the critical buildings located in the city throughout the Roman Empire. After Istanbul fell into the hands of the Ottoman Empire, it was restored and used for different purposes. 

Are you a traveler interested in history who wants to explore the unique structures of Istanbul? Hagia Irene is also the first structure of the Ottoman Empire to be used as a museum in the 19th century. So, be sure to add Hagia Irene Museum to your Istanbul travel itinerary.

History of the Hagia Irene Museum

Hagia Irene, which is of great importance as the first museum of the Ottoman Empire, leads to the most significant tourist attractions in the city. During the Ottoman Empire, it was used for various purposes instead of as a church or a museum. With the change of its architecture during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, the building began to be used as an internal arsenal. By the 19th century, many arsenals located there had become unusable and antiquated. 

During this period, double-winged stairs were built into the structure, and its internal layout was significantly changed. Another thing added during the Ottoman period is the inscription dating 1726, which is still found on the main door. In 1846, the old church, now turned into a new museum, was divided into two parts. These parts include the "collection of antiquities" and the "collection of ancient weapons."

By 1869 the museum was officially turned into an Ottoman museum. In 1875, the archaeological artifacts found in Hagia Irene Museum were taken to the Tiled Kiosk. Later, when the First World War started, the collection of weapons in the museum was improved. Later, by 1930 it acquired the title of the first military museum of the Ottoman Empire.

The Hagia Irene Museum Facts

• Hagia Irene Museum is known as the largest church located in Istanbul, after Hagia Sophia.
• The exact word meaning of Hagia Irene is "holy peace."
• The works of Damat Ahmet Fethi Pasha, one of the valuable marshals of the Ottoman Empire, were first exhibited here.
• Hagia Irene Church was built on top of one of the temples dating back to the Pagan Period, the religion of Rome before it converted to Christianity.
• The Ottoman Sultan Fatih Sultan Mehmet, who conquered Istanbul in 1453, did not convert the Hagia Irene into a mosque because he knew its history and spiritual value.

Architectural Structure and Transformation Over Time

Hagia Irene, which features the long history of Istanbul in its architecture, has been standing for centuries. This impressive building has a mysterious architecture with its structure that does not differ from the classical Roman houses of worship.

One of the features that makes Hagia Irene Museum unique is that it is the only building with an atrium dating back to the Roman era. An atrium is a courtyard often seen in temples and sacred places.

The church, built by Constantine the Great, was created with the shape of a "three-nave basilica" on the floor and the form of a Greek cross on the top.

Hagia Irene has faced many disasters to this day, but it has stood firm and is a magnificent tourist attraction for people from all over the world. An earthquake in the 700s destroyed the original building, which was later rebuilt. During this period, new mosaics and motifs were added to the structure.

The preservation of the appearance of the domed basilica was an important point during the restoration. These motifs and mosaics were largely untouched in the church during the Ottoman Period and were used as a museum.

If you are interested in such elegant structures, you should also see Topkapı Palace, one of Istanbul's most popular tourist attractions. In the reign of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II, the construction of Topkapı Palace started. Visit both of these beautiful structures in Istanbul.