St. Savior in Chora (Kariye Müzesi), Istanbul 
 Byzantine exterior of the 11th-century Kariye Müzesi. Photo: Pierre Metivier. See our St. Savior in Chora Photo Gallery for over 50 more images! |
The St. Savior in Chora Church (now the Kariye Müzesi) in Istanbul is one of the finest preserved galleries of Byzantine mosaics as well as a detailed account of early Christian history.
The original church was built in the 4th century as part of a monastery complex outside the city walls (chora zonton means "in the country" in Greek), but the present structure dates to the 11th century.
The interior restoration and decoration were the result of the patronage of Theodore Metokhites, Grand Logothete of the Treasury, and date to the first quarter of the 14th century. A dedicatory panel in the inner narthex over the door to the nave shows Metokhites presenting the Chora to Jesus.
When the church was converted into a mosque in the 16th century, the mosaics were plastered over. A 19th-century architect uncovered the mosaics but was ordered by the government to re-cover those in the section of the prayer hall.
American archaeologists finally uncovered these masterpieces during World War II, and although the Chora became a museum in 1947, it is still often referred to as the Kariye Camii.
In total there are about 50 mosaic panels, but because some of them are only partially discernible, there seems to be disagreement on the exact count. Beginning in the exonarthex, the subjects of the mosaic panels fall into one of four themes, presented more or less in chronological order after the New Testament.
Broadly, the themes relate to: the life of Christ and his miracles; the life of Mary; the infancy of Christ; and Christ's ministry. The panels not included in these themes are the devotional panels in the exonarthex and the narthex, and the three panels in the nave: The Dormition of the Virgin, Christ, and the Virgin Hodegetria.
The Paracclesion (burial section) is decorated with a series of masterful frescoes completed sometime after the completion of the mosaics, presumably by the same artist. The frescoes reflect the purpose of the burial chamber with scenes of Heaven and Hell, the Resurrection and the Life, and a stirring Last Judgment with a scroll representing infinity above a River of Fire, and a detail of Jesus saving Adam and Eve's souls from the devil.
Map
Location map and satellite view of the Church of St. Savior in Chora or Kariye Mosque in Istanbul. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. You can explore all of Istanbul from space on our Istanbul Satellite Map.
| Names: | Chuch of St. Savior in Chora; Kariye Mosque; Kariye Camii; Kariye Müzesi |
| Location: | Camii Sok., Kariye Meydani, Edirnekapi, Istanbul |
| Phone: | 0212/631-9241 |
| Bus: | Dolmuses leave from under the roadway arch near the Beyazit mosque (destination Karagümlük; get off at the Kariye "Camii") |
| Hours: | Thurs-Tues 9:30am-6:30pm |
| Cost: | Admission $7 |
More Information
- Kariye Camii - Welcome to Constantinople by Prof. Robert Ousterhout
