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Zeyrek Mosque
Zeyrek Mosque, former named Church of the Pantocrator, is a former monastery church and one of the most important historic landmarks of the Byzantine period.
Dedicated to St. Saviour Pantocrator, the building is actually a composite of two churches and a chapel, making it the second largest church in Istanbul after Ayasofya. The monastery was founded by Empress Eirene, wife of John II Comnenus, who completed the south church prior to her death in 1124. She was also the first to be buried here (her sarcophagus was moved in the 1960s to the Archaeological Museum, but now resides in the exonarthex of the Ayasofya).
The northern church was added by the emperor (her husband) after Eirene's death, and dedicated to Virgin Eleousa, the Merciful or Charitable. Nothing remains of its original ornamentation.
The emperor also had the churches connected through the jerry-rigging of a chapel between the north and south church, which also required the demolition of part of the exterior walls of the two buildings.
The minbar (pulpit), added when the church was converted into a mosque in the 15th century, is composed of recycled fragments of Byzantine sculpture.
Location: From Atatürk Bulv., follow Itfaiye Cad. and take the first street to the right
Hours: Open at prayer times only
Cost: Free
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Under restoration...UNESCO has provided a substantial grant to support the completion of restoration work on the east facades
Marked with a circle on the map
