MOLLA ZEYREK MOSQUE (MOLLA ZEYREK CAMII)
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The oldest church is that of the monastery dedicated to Christ Pantocrator. Construction began in 1118, on the initiative of Irene, wife of Alexis le er, and was completed after her death by John II Comnenus. The dome rests on four columns. The church to the south is dedicated to Theotocos Eleoussa (Merciful Mother of God). Its pavement, inlaid with variously-colored hard stones, depicts the labors of Hercules, the signs of the zodiac and the seasons in medallions, which appeared during work carried out by the Byzantine Institute in 1954. The stained glass windows in the apse date from the early years of John II's reign, around 1130, while western stained glass was still in its infancy. The two churches are joined by a funerary chapel dedicated to Saint Michael, where several Byzantine emperors were buried. Next to the tomb of Manuel Comnène (1143-1180) is a red marble slab believed to be the slab on which Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus embalmed the body of Christ. The churches were converted into medersas shortly after Mehmed the Conqueror took Constantinople. The building is named after its first teacher, Molla Zeyrek. Extensive restoration work has been carried out. The third is used as a mosque, accessible via wooden staircases, which is not very common.
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