Fethiye Mosque

The Pammakaristos Church is a Byzantine church in Istanbul. It was the last pre-Ottoman home of the Ecumenical Patriarchate before being converted into the Fethiye Mosque in 1591. Today, part of it functions as a museum. The building, an important example of Palaiologan architecture, houses the largest collection of Byzantine mosaics in Istanbul after Hagia Sophia and Chora.

Built between the 11th and 12th centuries, the church was later expanded with a side chapel, the parekklesion, dedicated to Christos ho Logos. After the Ottoman conquest, it served as the Patriarchate until 1587, then became a mosque under Sultan Murad III. Significant alterations were made to accommodate Islamic prayer.

Restored in 1949, the parekklesion became a museum. Further renovations began in 2021, and the mosque reopened for prayer in 2022, with restoration completed in 2024. The church originally had a cross-in-square design, later modified under Ottoman rule. The parekklesion retains stunning mosaics, including a Pantocrator dome surrounded by Old Testament prophets and scenes of Christ's Baptism.

Address
Fethiye Kapısı Sokak 4, Istanbul, Turkey

Established
11th century