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ST.
IRENE
St. Irene, which is located on 1st courtyard
of Topkapı Palace, was constructed by the
Emperor Lustiniaus in VI. century. It consists
of atrium, narthex, naos with three nephs
and apse. It is a typical Byzantine structure
with its material and architecture.
There have not been many changes in the
building, as the church was not turned to
a mosque after conquest of İstanbul in 1453.
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It was used
as a booty and weapon warehouse
for a long time. Son-in-law
Ahmed Fethi Pasha, one of Field
Marshal of Tophane, exhibited
his works here in 1846. St.
Irene was renamed as Müze-i
Hümayun (Empire Museum) in 1869.
The works exhibited here was
moved to Çinili Köşk (Pavilion
with painted tiles) in 1875,
as the exhibition areas were
insufficient. St. Irene was
used as a Military Museum since
1908. The building, which was
empty for a while, was restored
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and made a
unit of Directorate of St. Sofia
Museum.
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