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.

Tired of the masses in the Blue Mosque or Hagia Sofia? This is a quiet, beautiful mosque that traces its roots back more than 2500 years. Peaceful and serene. A lovely place to get away from the hustle of Istanbul. Don't miss the beautifully carved capitals and inscriptions!

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.

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

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

The Kucuk Hagia Sofia is a 'little' replica of the main Hagia Sofia Camii. This building started its 'life' as a church in the 6th century and then following the conquest of Constantinople in the 15th century was converted into a Mosque, similar to the main Hagia Sofia. This Mosque is about a 7-9 minute walk from the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii). Highly recommend visiting the Mosque. We stopped over for our Asr prayer after having prayed the Friday (juma) prayer in the 'buyuk' Hagia Sofia Mosque

Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus is not a replica of Hagia Sofia and is a must see. In the pillars you can still see the monograms of emperor Justinian and empress Theodora who built it. The poem inscribed in Greek on the cornice reads as follows: “Other emperors have honored the dead, Their labors were unrewarded. But He who now holds our sceptres, pious Justinian Honors with an illustrious house Sergius, servant Of Christ, King of the universe, whom neither the flickering flame, The sword, nor any other torture could hurt, But who was constant unto death for Christ our God And merits heaven by his blood. May he always Protect our ever-vigilant emperor And augment the sway of Theodora, crowned by God; She whose piety enlightens the soul; whose ceaseless Activity and unremitting good works bring Relief to those who are crushed by poverty”.

Little Hagia Sophia is one of the most important early Byzantine buildings in Istanbul. It was erected in the sixth century by emporer Justinian between 532-536 and converted into a mosque during the Ottoman Empire. The building stands in Istanbul, in the district of Fatih and in the neighbourhood of Kumkapı, at a short distance from the Marmara Sea. It is actively used by worshippers to offer their prayers, and therefore there is no admissions ticket required. It is surrounded by hotels, cafés, souvenir, shops, and massage Studios. Very interesting place and definitely worth a visit.

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.