This past weekend, we went to a concert of an Istanbul Korean Choir at the St. Irene located within the courtyard of the Topkapi Palace. It is a museum and not always open, so this was a great opportunity to go. The choir did not disappoint, nor did the saxophonist who played “Amazing Grace.”

St.Irene is one of the largest and oldest churches from the Byzantine era still standing in Istanbul. It was built in the year 330. The church takes its name from a saint who was at that time working for the spread of Christianity. The church was first built from wood, and burned during a revolt in 532. Although the Emperor Justinian had the St. Irene restored, it later suffered significant damage in fires and earthquakes. Fortunately, the church was restored each time that it was damaged, and, after the conquering of Istanbul in 1453, remained within the walls of the Topkapi palace courtyard. For a long period, the St. Irene was used as a weapons depot, and finally in 1869 it was converted into a museum. Today, the museum serves mainly as a concert hall due to its extraordinary acoustics.