Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Top Sights
Kariye Museum (Chora Church)
İstanbul has more than its fair share of Byzantine monu-
ments, but few are as drop-dead gorgeous as this mosaic-
laden church. Nestled in the shadow of Theodosius II's
monumental land walls and now a museum overseen by the
Aya Sofya curators, it receives a fraction of the visitor
numbers that its big sister attracts but offers an equally fas-
cinating insight into Byzantine art. Virtually all of the in-
terior decoration - the famous mosaics and the less
renowned but equally striking frescoes - dates from 1312.
Getting There
Kariye Museum is 5km west of
Sultanahmet.
Bus
31E, 32, 36K & 38E from
Eminönü, 87 from Taksim,
Edirnekapı stop.
Ferry
Golden Horn (Haliç)
from Eminönü
Don't Miss
Inner Narthex
Highlights in the second of the inner corridors include the
Khalke Jesus
, which shows
Christ and Mary with two donors. The southern dome features a stunning depiction of Je-
sus and his ancestors (the
Genealogy of Christ
) and the northern dome features a serenely
beautiful mosaic of Mary and the Baby Jesus surrounded by her ancestors.
Nave
In the nave are mosaics of Christ; of Mary and the Baby Jesus; and of the
Assumption of
the Blessed Virgin
- turn around to see this, as it's over the main door you just entered. The
'infant' being held by Jesus is actually Mary's soul.
Parecclesion
This side chapel was built to hold the tombs of the church's founder and relatives. It's dec-
orated with frescoes depicting scenes taken from the Old Testament; most deal with the
themes of death and resurrection. The striking painting in the apse shows a powerful Christ
raising Adam and Eve out of their sarcophagi, with saints and kings in attendance.
