Little Hagia Sophia Mosque

This mosque used to be church very beautiful & historical. Fantastic artwork design they have facilities for man & woman to pray in this mosque. Open for non muslim to visit it has cafe & workshop there.

I really love this little mosque. Learning about its history before visiting helps me to fully immerse myself in the design and architecture. Its design is uncomplicated with the typical byzantine dome and high ceilings, being inside felt peaceful and serene especially since we visited early in the morning without the tourist crowds.

beautiful mosque, especially the interior it's actually way older than the famous hagia sophia, this church that's turned into a mosque was originally built as a miniature / model to try new things on before the byzantines do it full scale on the hagia sophia had a prayer here and it was so peaceful and calm, not a flashy tourist spot so you can enjoy it for as long as you want

Absolutely beautiful mosque. There were no queues and not many people. It's much easier to access. Anyone can go in and take pictures/make videos except for prayer times. It's definitely worth a visit.

Beautiful, the little Ayasofia mosque, although its not that small. Neat and aesthetic both from inside and outside. An easy place for prayers and Juma if you are in Fatih, Sultanahmet.

Stayed next to this mosque. A little gem away from the hustle and bustle of Sultan Ahmet Square (where Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia are). This was also a church at some point and has its own historical significance. The architect is also buried close by. The architecture and exterior colour scheme is similar to that of Hagia Sofia and the interior while distinct follows the Ottoman theme which is seen in almost every other mosque. Nice quiet mosque with few tourist so if you need a break, make sure to head over and spend some time here. Within its court yard is a little graden with a non touristic cafe restaurant (small menu and cheap food) and of course the artisan workshops where we found some lovely handmade mother of pearl and semi precious stones jewellery, ceramic works, magnets and paintings etc. Lots of resident cats that kids interacted with. One cat took the liberty of jumping into my lap as i was having Turkish Coffee at the cafe in the court yard. And then there was a special music evening (not a regular occurrence). Lots of history around in the surrounding buildings and streets, lots of restaurants and shops and couple of beautiful parks, an active train track pretty much next the mosque, and a walk and scooter track next to the train track, and also close to the seaside which is teeming with fishermen and local and foreign tourists until late night

Little Hagia Sophia Mosque originally was a church built between 527 and 536 by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I and his wife Theodora. It was converted into a mosque in 1497 by Hüseyin Ağa, the Darüssaade Ağa during the reign of Sultan Bayezid II.

Located in quiet area yet very near to the main landmarks. Worth visiting to experience the local feel of entering a mosque.

When we arrived at the Basileus Hotel for our week in Istanbul, the staff suggested that my mom and I visit the Little Hagia Sophia. It is literally about a one minute walk from the hotel, so off we went. Emperor Justinian had this built as a church in the sixth century. Under the Ottomans, it was turned into a mosque. This structure and the Hagia Sophia are contemporaries, and have similar design, but neither is a model for the other. This mosque is a small one--you can stand in one spot in the room and see the full interior upon entrance. Still, it has the features you'll be used to seeing in other mosques, like the carpet designed to allow for worshipers to have proper spacing and be lined up for prayer. It also has very vibrant color on the interior and the windows let in beautiful light. It's not a site that takes much time to see, and I would not travel here if I was not in the area, but if you are nearby, a stop here wouldn't be out of order.

We decided to visit the "Little Hagia Sophia" (so called because it was also built by Justinian, along similar lines to the Hagia Sophia) before visiting some of the larger and more famous buildings. It is certainly less spectacular than the Hagia Sophia, but it has something to offer for people who are interested in older buildings. Do not expect original Byzantine architecture, however, as it has been heavily modified over the centuries, most recently to brace it against the vibrations from the railroad which runs right next to the building. For one thing, it is far less crowded, and you can take your time examining the paintings which decorate the upper galleries without feeling pushed or rushed. Although we did not have a language in common, the caretaker ensured that we saw all public parts of the building, by inviting us to climb to the gallery when we otherwise wouldn't have done so. As with all active mosques, you need to take off your shoes before entering, and women are asked to wear a headscarf. There were headscarfs you could borrow just inside the door. There is no charge to visit.

Great to see this since it was the practice run for and built 5 years before Hagia Sophia. And although it has been converted into a mosque and parts added on, it still shows its origin as a church. Also we could go upstairs and explore the entire place without any interference and yep - there will a few ppl praying.