Church of St. Mary of Blachernae

Fatih, Turkey

No longer standing

Demolished or destroyed.

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ReferenceKulturenvanteri↗

The Church of Saint Mary of Blachernae, located in the Fatih district of Istanbul near the old walled city, is an Eastern Orthodox sanctuary with roots in Byzantine architecture dating to 401. The original Byzantine complex was one of the most important religious sites in Constantinople, arguably rivaling Hagia Sophia in significance, largely because of its proximity to the Palace of the Blachernae. The medieval church was destroyed in 1434, and a small new church was subsequently erected on the site in the nineteenth century. Today, the building stands protected by a high surrounding wall and fronted by a garden.