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The Church of Saint Panteleimon is a late 13th century Byzantine church, about 125m southwest of the Rotunda. It is thought to have been part of the late Byzantine Monastery of the Virgin Peribleptos. In 1548, after the Ottoman conquest, it was converted into a mosque called Ishakiye Camii (Mosque of Isaac). The stone church is small, with a cross-in-square plan, originally with a domed narthex and an ambulatory under two smaller domes. The main part of the interior (the naos) has been restored, with wood seats, modern icons and a small, but well-done iconostasis. I found it peaceful to sit in the ancient, incense-filled space. I was able to discern fragments of Byzantine frescoes of saints and the Virgin Mary at the top of several vaults and arches, but not much was left of the original artwork. There are two small chapels on the eastern side of a portico. The minaret base and a marble ablution fountain are visible in the church yard, remnants of its use as a mosque. The Church of Saint Panteleimona is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The church is open daily with no entry fee, although a donation is appreciated.…
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Date of experience: July 2019
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In the city center, it is a must to walk in. It is closed for lunch, usually open in the morning and after 5pm.
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Date of experience: October 2019
2 Helpful votes
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+1
A small Byzantine Church, adjacent to "The Rotunda" or the Tomb of Galerius. Nearly all tourists will visit the Rotunda, so you should stick your head into Panteleimon for half an hour. It probably dates back to the 13th century, but, like most churches in the Balkans, was converted into a mosque during the Ottoman Era. A few fragments of the original frescoes are still visible ; the Ottomans usually plastered them over, which often saved them for later re-discovery. Traces of its mosque history can be seen (ablution fountain and minaret foundation). It's an elegant and pleasant building with an interesting history, so do visit !…
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Date of experience: June 2019
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+1
The Church of St. Panteleimon the Great Martyr is a jewellery of our faith! Although frescoes are not preserved in the interior, there are two apses in the northern and the southern part of the church (the sanctuary in every orthodox church is created in the eastern part) with fragments of frescoes of the palaeologian era (Palaeologoi were the last dynasty of the Byzantine Empire). It's really worth a visit!…
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Date of experience: May 2019
4 Helpful votes
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+1
This one was converted from a mosque to a church and seems to be in quite good condition. It wasn't open when I visited (later on Sunday afternoon) and so I didn't get to see the inside. The outside looks good though and it's worth a visit. Easily combined with the nearby Rotunda and Galerius Arch.…
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Date of experience: February 2019
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