St. Irene, which is located on the 1st courtyard of Topkapı Palace, was constructed by the Emperor Lustiniaus in the 6th century. It consists of atrium, narthex, naos with three nephs and apse. It is a typical Byzantine structure with its material and architecture.

There have not been many changes in the building, as the church was not turned to a mosque after conquest of İstanbul in 1453. It was used as a booty and weapon warehouse for a long time. Son-in-law Ahmed Fethi Pasha, one of Field Marshal of Tophane, exhibited his works here in 1846. St. Irene was renamed as Müze-i Hümayun (Empire Museum) in 1869. The works exhibited here were moved to Çinili Köşk (Pavilion with painted tiles) in 1875, as the exhibition areas were insufficient. St. Irene was used as a Military Museum since 1908. The building, which was empty for a while, was restored and made a unit of Directorate of St. Sofia Museum