Hagia Irene Museum

A Hidden Gem – The Hagia Irene Museum

Istanbul is full of museums, in fact there are more museums in this city than many people think. The hidden gems are often the best, not only because they are usually cheap to go into, but also because the lack of crowds means you can explore around much easier, without having to navigate too many people in your way.

The Hagia Irene Museum is a spot which many people tend to stumble upon, but it is one which they are always glad they did! If you make this a priority on your visit to Istanbul, you won’t be sorry, and you’ll have a truly historic and enjoyable experience, for sure.

The History of The Hagia Irene Museum

The original Hagia Irene was a church, just like it’s similar name sake, Hagia Sofia. Obviously, thought time several changes have occurred, and the church is now a museum, allowing visitors to learn about its history and what it originally stood for.

The name Hagia Irene’ is actually Greek and means ‘divine peace’. Many people wrongly believe that the church is named after Saint Irene, but that isn’t the case, and instead it is dedicated to peace.

Hagia Irene is one of the oldest churches in Istanbul, and it was originally built around the 4th century AD, ordered by Emperor Constantine I, of the Byzantine Empire. The church was built on the grounds of an old pagan temple, and as many buildings of that time, it was built in wood. The problem with wooden buildings is that they don’t stand up to the major earthquakes and fires which Istanbul has experienced over the years, and rather unsurprisingly, the church fell foul to a large fire. This was during the Nika Riot, which took place in 532 AD.

Almost completely destroyed the church was renovated and restored by Justinian I, taking it back to its original roots, but building it in material which were more likely to stand up to the rigours of Istanbul life. Despite that, further earthquakes and fires meant that extra restorations (although not as large) had to take place a few more times throughout the years to come.

After the Conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the church was used as an arsenal, and several changes to the original building were made. The Ottomans added the inscription which currently sits on the gate to the building, and extra staircases were added up to the galleries.

During the Ottoman reign, many old churches from the Byzantine era were changed into mosques, i.e. Hagia Sofia, however Hagia Irene wasn’t, and instead was used as a museum displaying various weapons. This didn’t really prove to be too successful, and the museum was then closed and left to fall into a state of disrepair for many years.

After renovations, the Hagia Irene Museum was opened in 2014, to allow visitors to explore the history of this beautiful, and often overlooked, building.

Visiting The Hagia Irene Museum

You will easily find the Hagia Irene Museum by venturing towards Topkapi Palace in Sultanahmet. The museum is behind Hagia Sofia, and on the way to Topkapi itself. You might see signs for ‘Aya Irini’, which means Hagia Irene in Turkish.

It will cost you 20Tl to go inside the museum, and it is open every day, apart from Tuesdays. Opening hours are 9am until 5pm.

You should expect to spend an hour or two inside the Hagia Irene Museum, and from there you can move on to explore the many other historic and cultural buildings in the close vicinity. Of course, Topkapi Palace is right next door, and you could also head to Hagia Sofia, which is a beautiful and historic spot to enjoy. Queues for both of these attractions can be quite large, to bear that in mind when you’re organising your visiting time. You could also visit Blue Mosque, which is opposite the Hagia Sofia, however do remember that the mosque is closed during prayer times, as it is functioning mosque.

Hagia Irene Museum will show you the blend between the history which predates the Ottoman Empire, and what happened after that. It’s a very beautiful and poignant place to visit, and because it isn’t quite as well known as its bigger sister, the Hagia Sofia, you can expect to be able to wander around much more freely as a result. If you time your visit for early in the morning, you should be able to explore the other sights for the rest of the day too.