Attraction
Hagia Sophia
Justinian's sixth-century domed basilica, now the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, with a separate visitor route through its upper galleries above the prayer hall.
Kariye Mosque (Chora)
The former Chora Church near the land walls, famed for early 14th-century Byzantine mosaics and frescoes, reopened as a mosque with a visitor route in 2024.
At a glance
- Type
- Byzantine church and mosque
- Area
- Edirnekapı, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Opening
- Open 6 days a week (closed Friday) · 09:00–18:00
- Official site
- muze.gen.tr
- Last checked
- October 23, 2026
Good to know
- Byzantine mosaics and frescoes
Why we recommend it
Out near the Theodosian land walls, the former Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora holds some of the finest late Byzantine art anywhere. Its mosaics and frescoes, funded by the statesman Theodore Metochites in the early 14th century, cover the narthexes and funerary chapel with scenes from the lives of Christ and the Virgin.
The building reopened as a mosque in 2024 and foreign visitors pay €20 for the visitor route. It is closed to sightseers on Fridays and admissions pause before each prayer. It is a long way from Sultanahmet, so combine it with the land walls and a walk down through Balat and Fener to the Golden Horn.
Reviewed by Lifestylemetro · Details checked October 23, 2026
Kariye Mosque (Chora) FAQs
Is it open every day?
No — the visitor route is closed on Fridays, and tourist entry stops 15 minutes before each prayer time.
How much is entry?
€20 for foreign visitors; children aged 8 and under enter free and museum passes are not accepted.