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Hagia Irene Church, the great Emperor Constantine ordered the construction of the Hagia Irene church in 330 where there was a pagan temple before. The church took its name from a saint who sought to spread Christianity. The church was originally built of wood and was badly damaged by fires and earthquakes. The church was renovated each time, and it was used as an arsenal for a long time on the walls of the Topkapi Palace after the conquest of Istanbul. Finally, in 1869 the church was converted into a museum. Why do I have to go? Just after Hagia Sophia, Hagia Irene is still the second largest and oldest church in Istanbul from the Byzantine period. The church also has the distinction of being the first museum of the Ottoman Empire.
