Hagia Eirene (Basilica of Holy Peace, Turkish: Aya Irini Kilisesi) stands on what is thought to be the oldest place of Christian worship in Istanbul. Today it is located within the Topkapi Palace complex, close to the Hagia Sophia.
The first church to stand on this site was built by Constantine along with Hagia Sophia and the Church of the Holy Apostles. The present church dates from the 6th century.
Within a decade of the Ottoman conquest of the city in 1453, Hagia Eirene had been incorporated into the Topkapi Palace and used (perhaps ironically, given the name) as an arsenal. It was one of very few former Byzantine churches not to have been turned into a mosque.
Today Hagia Eirene, which has excellent acoustics, hosts concerts during the Istanbul Music Festival.
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