Topkapi Palace and Basilica Cistern Combo Tour in Istanbul

Topkapi Palace Tour Times Mondays09:00, 11:00,13:45,14:45,15:30 Tuesdays: Closed Wednesdays:09:00,10:00,11:00,13:00,14:00,14:45,15:30 Thursdays:09:00, 10:00,11:15,12:00,13:15,14:15,14:45,15:30 Fridays:09:00, 10:00,10:45,12:00,13:00,13:45,14:30,15:30 Saturdays:09:00, 10:15,11:00,12:00,13:00,13:45,15:00,15:30 Sundays:09:00, 10:15,11:00,12:00,13:00,13:30,14:30,15:30 Topkapi Palace: At the fountain of Sultan Ahmed III across the main gate of Topkapi Palace

Hagia Irene Museum Free Entrance. The Church of Hagia Irene (Divine Peace) is a Byzantine church, which is in the first courtyard of Topkapi Palace. It was the first cathedral in Constantinapolis. Over the centuries, it was built 3 times. The church, as it currently stands, was built by Constantine V in the 8th century. It was an arsenal during the Ottoman Empire period. It became the very first museum in Turkey in the 19th century. After extensive restorations in modern days, it was opened as the "Hagia Irine Museum."

Beautiful yet eerie, Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayi) isn’t your average underground well. Dating back to the Byzantine era, the huge cistern was built in the mid-500s on the former site of a basilica. More than 300 marble columns provide a grand, serene atmosphere to what was essentially subterranean water storage.