Fenari Isa Mosque

The Fenari Isa Mosque consists of two side-by-side Byzantine churches constructed in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. It is defined by its exterior of alternating bands of brick and stone, a classic example of the Palaiologan architectural style. Following the conquest of Constantinople, the complex was converted into a mosque by Molla Fenari, a scholar and the first official Sheikh ul-Islam of the Ottoman Empire. For decades, the building served as a center for religious law and public education.