On the western side of the church, and behind the Sultan’s private box, is the Cold Window, so called from the cool wind which always blows through it; it is considered a place of exceptional sanctity, having been the spot whence the celebrated Sheik Ak-Shems-ed-Din, who accompanied the Conqueror, first preached the Koran in St. Sophia. In one of the windows in the western gallery is a translucent stone, called the Shining Stone. The two immense tapers, one on each side of the Mihrab, are only lighted during Ramazan, and are literally columns of wax. The inscription forming a pendant to the pulpit is a quotation from the Koran, and is a masterpiece of ornamental writing; it is the work of Sultan Mahmud II.
Despite the removal of most of the emblems of Christianity and the addition of those of Islamism, the interior of St. Sophia cannot be said to have much changed by its conversion into a mosque; but the addition of towers, walls, minarets, and other structures outside, has altered the exterior appearance of the building almost beyond recogni-tion. The four minarets are the work of different Sultans: that at the south-east corner is the oldest, having been erected by Muhammad II.; it is of different shape from the others; that at the northeast comer was built by Selim II., and those on the western side by Murat III.
Church of St. Irene (HarbiehAmbari = armoury), now used as a museum of ancient arms. Admission by imperial warrant. It is situated in the Old Seraglio grounds guided tours istanbul, and was never converted into a mosque. It was built by Constantine the Great on the site of the heathen temple erected to Irene (Elptfvrj), or Peace, and named after the fane it superseded, and has no connection with St. Irene, the Christian martyr. It was burnt down in 532 A.D. during the Nika riot, and rebuilt by Justinian. This church is in a fair state of preservation, though it suffered considerably during the earthquakes of 1894. The ornamentation is simple in character. According to most authorities the church of St. Irene was the place where the second General Council met in 381 A.D., during the reign of Theodosius the Great, and proclaimed the Nicene doctrine of the Trinity against the followers of Macedonius.
Christian union
It is, however, curious to note that this building, which was once the scene of this Christian union, has now been chosen, as if by the irony of fate, as a museum of objects of strife, and is crowded with ancient arms and armour, modern weapons, and trophies. Most interesting among these are the sword of Muhammad II.; that of Scanderbey; an armlet of Tamerlane; the gold and silver keys of numerous conquered cities, and more ancient tokens of surrender in the form of little bags of earth; and two standards, said to have been those of Ali, bearing three double-edged swords on a red field. The collection also contains a large quantity of chain- mail, some fine Circassian helmets, and numerous red and green banners and flags.
The Church of SS. Sergius and Bacchus, called Kutchuk Ayiah Sofia (St. Sophia the less) by the Turks, from the beauty of its columns and ornamentation, lies behind the Hippodrome, close to the railway line, and near the Marmora sea – shore. Admission 5 piastres per head. It was built in 527 A.D. by Justinian in the vicinity of the palace of Hormisdas, where he resided prior to his accession to the throne. According to tradition the church was erected and dedicated to these two saints by Justinian as a thanksgiving offering, for having, in reponse to his prayers, appeared in a dream to his predecessor, the Emperor Anastasius, and induced that monarch to release him from prison, where he had been cast with hie uncle Justin I. for alleged conspiracy against the throne. Justinian is said to have devoted all his private fortune to the endowment of this church. The building is nearly square, being 109 feet by 92 feet exclusive of the apse.
travel for beauty 