Little Hagia Sophia

A Sixth Century Church Of Saints Sergius And Bacchus, An Early Version Of The Hagia Sophia Plan With An Octagonal Dome, Now A Mosque With A Calm Courtyard Of Tombs And A Tea Garden. A Quiet Old City Stop Away From The Main Queues · Fatih, Istanbul

Little Hagia Sophia, or Kucuk Ayasofya Camii, stands in a quiet street of old houses between Sultanahmet and the Marmara shore. It was built in the 520s-530s (confirm) as the church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus by the emperor Justinian, and many scholars see it as an early trial for the plan of the great Hagia Sophia. Inside, an eight-sided dome rests on arches and columns with fine carved capitals, and a ring of inscriptions runs around the nave. Around 1500 it became a mosque (confirm), and today it is a working neighbourhood mosque with a calm courtyard of tombs, a former madrasa and a tea garden shaded by trees. Visitors are welcome outside prayer times, and a small donation is appreciated (confirm). The street and the sea walls nearby give a gentle walk away from the main queues. Entry is free, with a donation box by the door (confirm), and a visit fits comfortably into a morning of walking around the old south slope of the city.

Little Hagia Sophia, a former Byzantine church turned mosque near the Marmara Sea walls at Kucukayasofya in Sultanahmet, Fatih; coordinates approximate, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkiye

The mosque is normally open to visitors between the five daily prayers, roughly from morning to late afternoon, and closed to sightseeing during prayers, so a visit at midday on Friday is best avoided (confirm). The tea garden in the courtyard keeps its own hours, usually a daytime schedule. Prayer times change through the year and by the day. Confirm the visiting hours and any works on the day.

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