Church of St. Mary of the Mongols, Eastern Orthodox church building in Fener, Istanbul, Turkey
The Church of St. Mary of the Mongols is positioned at the summit of a slope on Tevkii Cafer Mektebi Sokak, behind high walls overlooking the Golden Horn.
Princess Sopatra, daughter of Emperor Maurikios, established the original church in the seventh century on grounds that previously served as a cemetery.
The church maintains regular Greek Orthodox services and contains numerous icons, ancient frescoes, and historical decorations, including an eleventh-century mosaic of Theotokos.
Visitors need to use the door button at Firketeci Sokak to gain entrance, as staff members control access to the inner premises of the church.
This structure remains the only Byzantine church in Istanbul that has maintained continuous Christian worship since before 1453 without conversion to a mosque.
Location: Fener
Location: Fatih
Location: Istanbul
Inception: 1281
Architectural style: Byzantine architecture
GPS coordinates: 41.02972,28.94889
Latest update: March 4, 2025 23:12
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