Agios Minas Church

Agios Minas or "Saint Minas Church", located within the borders of Samatya in Fatih district of Istanbul, is one of the most important religious buildings that shed light on the history of the region. Agios Minas Church, of which the history is thought to date back to the 4th and 5th centuries, was damaged by the great fire in 1782 when it was a mosque before, and then it was rebuilt by the architect Konstantin Yolasığmazis and took its current form.

At the current location of Agios Minas Church which is at the intersection of Nafiz Gürman Street, one of the most beautiful streets of Samatya and Bestekar Hakkı Bey Street, there used to be Polikarpos Martirium dating back to the same centuries

In Agios Minas Church, which has a basilica plan with three naves, the columns that separate the naves which are connected to the concrete beams with moldings create a completely different atmosphere. As in all other Greek churches, the iconastasis in Agios Minas Church has a wooden structure and covers all the naves.

In the courtyard of the church surrounded by walls, you can actually see the most striking element of the church, namely the bell tower built in baldachin marble style. Agios Minas Church, with a holy spring at the bottom, reflects the cultural and historical values ​​of the historical Samatya, also known as Kocamustafapaşa, in the best way.

Agios Minas Church, which has become one of the symbolic churches of the city surrounded by walls over the centuries, is located on an elevated position in a short distance from the Marmara Sea coast. Protected by a high wall, the building is one of the oldest churches dedicated to Hagios Polykarpos. The pictures at the top of the iconastasis contain images of episodes of the life of Jesus Christ