During the 6th century, a Byzantine church, possibly dedicated to Saint Irene, was built here.
Of this building, only part of a wall survives today.

The tradition which affirms that a mosque was built on this site during the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople in 717–18 by the Umayyad prince and general Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik is a later, Ottoman-era legend.
Ottoman chroniclers also confused the second Arab siege with the first Arab siege a generation before, and placed the construction of the mosque to around 686.

In 1233, during the Latin Empire of Constantinople (1204–1261) founded after the Fourth Crusade, this church was replaced with a small chapel, dedicated to Saint Paul (San Paolo).

In 1299, the Dominican Friar Guillaume Bernard de Sévérac bought a house near the church, where he established a monastery with 12 friars.
In 1307, Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos moved the Dominicans of Constantinople to the Genoese-held suburb of Pera.

A new, much larger church was built near or above the chapel of San Paolo in 1325.
Thereafter the church was officially dedicated to San Domenico, but local residents continued to use the ancient denomination.
In 1407 Pope Gregory XII, in order to ensure the maintenance of the church, conceded indulgences to the visitors of the monastery of San Paolo.
During the 6th century, a Byzantine church, possibly dedicated to Saint Irene, was built here. Of this building, only part of a wall survives today.
The tradition which affirms that a mosque was built on this site during the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople in 717–18 by the Umayyad prince and general Maslama ibn Abd al-Malik is a later, Ottoman-era legend. Ottoman chroniclers also confused the second Arab siege with the first Arab siege a generation before, and placed the construction of the mosque to around 686.
In 1233, during the Latin Empire of Constantinople (1204–1261) founded after the Fourth Crusade, this church was replaced with a small chapel, dedicated to Saint Paul (San Paolo).
In 1299, the Dominican Friar Guillaume Bernard de Sévérac bought a house near the church, where he established a monastery with 12 friars. In 1307, Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos moved the Dominicans of Constantinople to the Genoese-held suburb of Pera.
A new, much larger church was built near or above the chapel of San Paolo in 1325. Thereafter the church was officially dedicated to San Domenico, but local residents continued to use the ancient denomination. In 1407 Pope Gregory XII, in order to ensure the maintenance of the church, conceded indulgences to the visitors of the monastery of San Paolo.
Arap Mosque