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The Chora Church, now the Kariye Mosque (Kariye Camii), contains the best preserved Byzantine frescoes and mosaics in Istanbul. It’s included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing of the Historic Areas of Istanbul.
NOTE: Chora Church, which functioned as the Kariye Museum (Kariye Müzesi) for many years, was converted from a museum to a mosque in October 2020. All photos below are from several visits I made to the church when it was a museum.
History of the Chora Church
The church was originally built as part of a 4th century monastery outside of the city walls of Constantinople, but was included within the Theodosian city walls after they were built in 413 AD. The current church dates back to 1077 and was officially known as the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora (Ἐκκλησία του Ἅγιου Σωτῆρος ἐν τῃ Χώρᾳ).
The church, which is located in the Edirnekapı neighborhood, contains some of the oldest and finest surviving Byzantine frescoes and mosaics. They were completed between 1315 and 1321.
When the church was converted to the Kariye Mosque (Kariye Camii) under Ottoman Grand Vizier Atik Ali Pasha (d. 1511) around 1503, during the reign of Bayezid II, the artwork was covered with a layer of plaster. Restoration began in 1948, when the mosque was decommissioned, and the museum opened in 1958. The building was converted to a mosque once again on October 30, 2020. It closed for restoration shortly after, and reopened for prayers on February 23, 2024.
Visiting the Chora Church
While the Chora Church is now a functioning mosque, only the small prayer hall is used for prayers. The wonderful artwork is accessible in the narthexes and parecclision. Admission is free (as of June 2024), and visitors must dress appropriately to enter the mosque. There are no complimentary wraps and headscarves as in other mosques, but they’re for sale outside. Plan accordingly if you don’t want to pay extra for them.
Parecclision of the Chora Church
The parecclision (side chapel) is one of the most spectacular parts of the building. It was used as a funeral chapel and has the church’s most brilliant frescoes.
The dome of the parecclision contains a fresco of the Virgin and Child surrounded by angels.
At the rear are frescoes of the Second Coming of Christ and the Resurrection. Underneath the Resurrection are frescoes of the Church Fathers.
Inner Narthex of the Chora Church
The inner narthex is a corridor that connects to the parecclision and the nave (today’s prayer hall). Here, there are mosaics of Christ, Saints Peter and Paul, and scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary.
One of my favorite mosaics depicts Byzantine politician Theodore Metochites (1270-1332) presenting a model of his church to an enthroned Christ.
There are also two domes in the inner narthex. The larger dome depicts the genealogy of Christ with Christ Pantocrator in the center, while the smaller dome depicts the religious and noble ancestors of Christ and the Virgin and Child in the center.
Nave of the Chora Church
The large stone doors in the inner narthex open into the nave. This was the main part of the church and it sits under the largest dome. Click here for a virtual tour of the nave.
Covered in marble, the nave isn’t as ornately decorated as the other parts of the church but features three mosaics along with mihrab. The mosaic above the entrance represents the Dormition of the Virgin.
Outer Narthex
Back through the inner narthex is the outer narthex. This was the original entrance to the church. There are mosaics of Christ and saints. The outer narthex is also known for mosaics of several scenes from the Bible.
Among the scenes depicted are the enrollment for taxation before Quirinius, Joseph’s dream and the journey to Bethlehem, the Wedding at Cana, and the Multiplication of the Loaves.
