Atik Mustafa Pasa Camii

The Atik Mustafa Pasa Camii was identified by older scholars as Sts. Peter and Mark, located near the Blachernae Palace. Probably dated to the ninth century, the church had a cross-domed plan with four corner chapels. It was restored in the early 1990s by the Vak1flar. Before this time, the Late Byzantine frescoes in the exterior niches of the south wall had been covered by a wooden panel and later partially whitewashed. They are now completely covered by masonry. Dr. Lioba Theis, then of the University of Bonn, observed the Vak1flar's restoration in progress, and has made some very interesting observations about the original form of the ninth-century church. She suggests that it had both lateral porches and upper level chapels above the corner chapels.