Audio GuideLittle Hagia Sophia Mosque

In the centre of Istanbul stands Küçük Ayasofya Camii, or the Little Hagia Sophia—a place where ancient stones and enduring legends are woven together. Dating back over one thousand five hundred years, the building was originally constructed as a church in the middle of the sixth century, under the rule of Emperor Justinian. Together with Empress Theodora, Justinian dedicated the church to Saints Sergius and Bacchus, two Roman soldiers who were martyred and whose story is closely linked to the church’s origins. As the tale goes, when the young Justinian was accused of conspiring against the Roman emperor, his life was spared after the saints appeared to the emperor in a dream and pleaded for him. In gratitude, Justinian commissioned the church.

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Its striking dome sits atop a sturdy, eight-sided base supported by thick stone pillars, creating an interior that feels both airy and intimate. The design was considered a triumph of Byzantine architecture for its time, and elements from it later inspired the construction of the much grander Hagia Sophia. The walls once gleamed with vibrant mosaics and fine marble, though much of this was removed or concealed after the church was converted into a mosque.

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In the late sixteenth century, following the Ottoman conquest, the church was transformed once again. A graceful minaret was added, reaching towards the sky, and a covered portico was built at the entrance. Nearby stands a madrasa, or Islamic school, centred around a peaceful courtyard garden, as well as the tomb of Hüseyin Ağa, the mosque’s benefactor.

Through the centuries, earthquakes threatened its stability and later urban developments—notably a railway running close by—put the structure in jeopardy. Yet each time, careful restoration work ensured the preservation of the dome, the minaret, and the ancient walls, allowing the building’s history to endure within its cool, shaded interiors. Today, sunlight filters softly through the mosque’s whitewashed walls, illuminating graceful Arabic calligraphy and creating an atmosphere that is both tranquil and steeped in history—reflecting a blend of Byzantine and Ottoman art.

Küçük Ayasofya Camii remains one of the oldest Byzantine monuments still standing in Istanbul and is now protected as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a lasting reminder that Istanbul’s story is one of transformation and continuity—where empires rise and fall, faiths intertwine, and every stone is steeped in one thousand five hundred years of shared memory.