Hagia Irene

The Hagia Irene carries a flattened, broad dome that sits unusually low against its heavy brick walls. Built on the site of a pre-Christian temple, it served as the original cathedral of Constantinople before the Hagia Sophia eclipsed it. During the Ottoman era, the Janissaries used the structure as an arsenal. In seventeen twenty-six, the Imperial Museum of Arms occupied these vaulted halls. Today, the space remains distinct for hosting orchestral concerts, where the acoustics bounce against centuries of brick and mortar.