Little Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

This quaint little mosque is right down the hill from the Blue Mosque. IT is said to have been built 500AD. Previously a church but now a mosque. It has beautiful decorations and the floor is covered in a turquoise coloured carpet. Certainly, worth a visit if you want some peace and quiet.

Beautiful historical place. Entrance free of charge. Enjoy art and intricate decorations. Close to the other historical places in Istanbul.

I wish I could have given this place 5 stars, however my visit here was ruined by a one toothed scammer. This scam artist has been mentioned before and is still present at Little Hagia Sofia. He is a one toothed man wearing soiled clothing who hangs around the place. Once I entered the Mosque, this scam artist approached me and claimed he that was a volunteer and offered me a tour, which I refused. However, the man continued to follow me around the Mosque and tried to demand 80 lira for his tour, even though I was ignoring him and trying to avoid him. The man only left after I started to call the police. It seems that the staff at the Mosque are aware of him and are supporting him (given that he has been present for so many years). If you decide to go here and this man approaches you, promptly call the police.

Smaller version of Ayasofya. Walk a little bit from Sultanahmet square. Not a touristy spot. But I like the mosque so much. The interior is special.

The Küçük Aya Sofya Camii, or Little Hagia Sophia Mosque, just west of Cankurtaran, is not the only mosque or ex-mosque in Istanbul to have once been a Christian church. The same is true of the Arap Camii in Karaköy, and of course of the larger and more famous Hagia Sophia itself, now a museum. (The Church of the Chora likewise underwent the same transition from church to mosque to museum.) Nonetheless, the fact that Little Hagia Sophia is still a working mosque makes the visible remnants of its Byzantine heritage all the more striking.