With the exception of the nave and dome, therefore, the present church is entirely due to this latter, who spent his last days within its precincts, where he was buried in 1332. The chapel on the right is connected with the inner and outer narthex by a passage. The chapel is adorned with frescoes of angels and saints. The mosaics, already alluded to as illustrative of the life of Christ, are in the nartheces. Those over the main entrance represent Theodoras Metochites presenting the model of the church to Christ seated on a throne. The letters IC, XP, stand for Jesus Christ and the inscription is Xcbpa TCOV ZCOVTCOV (‘ land of the living ). The mosaics on the right and left of the door represent St. Peter and St. Paul. In the body of the church is a mosaic of the Virgin Mary in a garden, with the same inscription, Xcopa TCOV ZCOVTCOV (‘ land of the living ’); and on the south panel another representing Christ holding a gospel with the text, ‘ Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’
Church of the Pantocrator (Almighty), now Zeireck Jamesl; admission 5 piastres;
situated on the heights in the vicinity of the inner bridge, was built in 1120 by John Comnenus and his wife the Empress Irene, both of whom, as well as many other Byzantine emperors, lie buried in the adjoining monastery. This church formerly contained several relics, the most notable being a porphyry slab on which it is supposed Christ was laid out after being taken down from the cross, and an eikon or painting of the Virgin, by St. Luke, brought from Palestine. Only the southern of the three buildings comprising the former church is used as a mosque. The large verde antico sarcophagus to be seen in the vicinity is supposed to have contained the remains of the Empress Irene.
Church of St. John the Baptist and Monastery of Studius, now Mir Akhor Jamesl. Admission not fixed; 5 piastres for two or three persons, and 10 piastres for a party, will be liberal enough guided tours istanbul.
It stands near the Yed! Kuleh (Seven Towers) Railway Station. It was built by Studius, a Roman patrician, who came to Constantinople with Constantine the Great. The monastery attached to the church was occupied by the monks called Acoemetoi (‘ The Wakeful ’), whose days and nights were spent in continual vigils for celebration of divine service. The Akhor, or Master of the Horse to Sultan
Bayazid, converted the church into a mosque, and named it after the office he held.
MOSQUES AND MAUSOLEUMS ERECTED BY THE TURKS
Suleimanieh, or the Mosque of Suleiman ., ‘the Magnificent.’ Admission 5 piastres per head.
This place of worship, built (1550-56) by the famous Turkish architect Sinan, of materials taken from the ancient church of St. Euphemia at Chal- cedon, is one of the finest specimens of Turkish architecture extant. It is 225 feet by 205 feet in area, and its dome is 156 feet high and 86 feet in diameter. The beautiful stained glass in two of the windows near the pulpit was part of the spoil taken during the wars with the Persians; that in the other windows is a clever ancient imitation of the former by Sharhos Ibrahim, a celebrated glass – stainer. The outer court of the mosque is a rectangular arcade with a basin in the centre, and, with its four minarets, is most picturesque.
In a burial-ground adjoining the mosque are the Turbeh, or Mausoleum, of Suleiman the Great, and that of his wife, the famous Roxalana. The tombs of Suleiman the Great, Suleiman II. (died 1691), and the latter’s brother Ahmed II. (died 1695), are of uniform size and shape. Each bears an enormous turban and is surrounded by a wooden railing inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The walls are faced with beautiful tiles of the best period. The building contains also a curious wooden model of the Kaaba at Mecca, and several ancient transcriptions of the Koran. Admission 5 piastres each, a reduction being made for parties of five or more.
Mystic Bulgaria 