Kariye Mosque (Chora)

The former Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora stands in Edirnekapı, close to the Theodosian land walls, and holds one of the finest surviving collections of late Byzantine art. The present building largely dates from a rebuilding in the late 11th century, but it is famous for the mosaics and frescoes added between about 1315 and 1321 by the statesman Theodore Metochites. It became a mosque in the early 16th century, a museum in the mid-20th century and was reconverted to a mosque in 2020. It reopened in May 2024 as the Kariye Mosque, with a visitor route for sightseers.

The mosaics in the two narthexes, the entrance halls, tell the lives of the Virgin and of Christ in great detail, with expressive faces, architecture and landscapes set against gold. In the side chapel, the parecclesion, the fresco of the Anastasis shows Christ pulling Adam and Eve from their tombs, and the vault is painted with scenes of the Last Judgement. Some images in the former main hall are now covered by curtains or concealed during the visit.

Foreign visitors pay an entry fee in euros, and children aged eight and under go in free. Museum passes are not accepted. The visitor route is open from 09:00 to 18:00, but it is closed on Fridays, and admission stops 15 minutes before each prayer time, with visitors not allowed inside during prayers. Shorts are not allowed, women must cover their hair, and coverings are sold at the ticket booth. Flash photography is banned, and luggage, umbrellas, pushchairs and outside food are not permitted.

Allow 45 minutes to an hour, and check prayer times before setting off so you do not arrive just as entry pauses. Visitors enter from Kariye Türbesi Sokak on the north side, pass security at the garden cabin and walk round to the south entrance. Information is available in nine languages via QR codes, and headphones are sold at the booth.

The mosque is a must for anyone interested in Byzantine art. Edirnekapı stop on the T4 tram line is the nearest. It is a long way from Sultanahmet, so combine it with a look at the land walls, then walk downhill through Balat and Fener to the Golden Horn.