Hagia Irene

The building stands on a pre-christian temple. Constantine I commissioned the first Hagia Irene church in the 4th century. The church was burned down during the Nika revolt in 532. Justinian I, had the church restored in 548. It was heavily damaged by an earthquake in 740. What we see today is the restoration form 8th century. After 1453 it was used for armery by Janissaries and during the reign of Sultan Ahmet III (1703-1730) was changed into an weapons museum. Today serves mostly as a concert hall for classical music.