page_title: Architecture of Istanbul
section_title: Hagia Irene
hierarchical_section_title: Architecture of Istanbul / Byzantine and Genoese structures / Hagia Irene
caption_attribution_description: Русский: Стамбул. Церковь Святой ИриныEnglish: Istanbul. Hagia Irene
context_page_description: The architecture of Istanbul describes a large mixture of structures which reflect the many influences that have made an indelible mark in all districts of the city. The ancient part of the city is still partially surrounded by the Walls of Constantinople, erected in the 5th century by Emperor Theodosius II to protect the city from invasion. The architecture inside the city proper contains buildings and structures which came from Byzantine, Genoese, Ottoman, and modern Turkish sources. The city has many architecturally significant entities. Throughout its long history, Istanbul has acquired a reputation for being a cultural and ethnic melting pot. As a result, there are many historical mosques, churches, synagogues, palaces, castles and towers to visit in the city.
context_section_description: Following the decision by Theodora, wife of Theophilus, to restore the icons in 843, many churches and other prominent Byzantine buildings in the city were adorned with new icons, but some, like Hagia Irene, still bear the signs of the iconoclastic period. The Boukoleon Palace largely dates from the reign of Theophilus.
caption: The 4th century Hagia Irene, built by Constantine, is the oldest standing Byzantine church in the city
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