Little Aya Sofya

Justinian and his wife Theodora built this little church sometime between 527 and 536 (just before Justinian built Aya Sofya) and you can still see their monogram worked into some of the frilly white capitals. It was named after the two patron saints of Christians in the Roman army. The building, which has recently been restored, is one of the most beautiful in the city. Its dome is architecturally noteworthy and its plan – an irregular octagon – is quite unusual. Like Aya Sofya, its interior was originally decorated with gold mosaics and featured columns made from fine green and red marble. The mosaics are long gone, but the impressive columns remain. The church was converted into a mosque by the chief white eunuch Hüseyin Ağa around 1500; his tomb is to the north of the building. The medrese cells, arranged around the mosque’s forecourt, are now used by second-hand booksellers and bookbinders. In the leafy forecourt there is a tranquil çay bahçesi (tea garden) where you can relax over a glass of tea.