St. Savior in Chora (Kariye Camii), Istanbul

Kariye Muzesi (St Savior in Chora), Istanbul

Front view of St. Savior in Chora. Photo Charles Roffey.
See our St. Savior in Chora Photo Gallery for many more images!

St. Savior in Chora (Kariye Müzesi), Istanbul

Back view from gardens. Photo Pierre Metivier.

The nave or naos, with marble-covered walls. Photo © Dick Osseman.

Mosaic of the Dormition (death) of the Virgin. Photo © Dick Osseman.

Mosaic panel of the Virgin and Child in the nave. Photo Daryl.

Closer look at the tesserae of the beautiful mosaics. Photo vtbrak.

Mosaics on the exonarthex vault, looking north. Photo Daryl.

Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes. Photo © Dick Osseman.

Esonarthex vault. Photo Daryl.

Christ as part of a Deesis scene. Photo © Dick Osseman.

Esonarthex cupola with mosaics. Photo Pierre Metivier.

Fresco of the Last Judgment in the Paracclesion. Photo Pierre Metivier.

Built in the 11th century and decorated in the 14th, the Church of St. Savior in Chora (formerly the Kariye Camii and now the Kariye Müzesi) in Istanbul contains one of the best-preserved collections of Byzantine mosaics and frescoes anywhere.

History

The first church on this site was built in the 4th century as part of a monastery complex outside the city walls of Constantinople. This is the reason for the "in Chora" part of its name - chora zonton means "in the country" in Greek. The present building dates from the 11th century.

The interior was restored and richly decorated with mosaics and frescoes in the early 14th century by Theodore Metokhites, Grand Logothete of the Treasury.

When the church was converted into a mosque in the 16th century, the Byzantine mosaics were covered in plaster. This protected them for several centuries. They were first uncovered in the 19th century, but the government ordered that those in the prayer hall section of the mosque be re-covered.

American archaeologists uncovered the mosaics for good during World War II and the church-turned-mosque became a secular museum in 1947.

What to See

Exterior

The front (west narthex) of St. Savior in Chora overlooks a small square occupied by a cafe with outdoor tables. Behind the church is a pretty garden with great views of the apses and domes of the church. The bathrooms are back here, too.

The Byzantine Mosaics and Frescoes

Inside, there are about 50 mosaic panels dating from about 1310, most in excellent shape. Virtually all the subjects of the mosaics derive from the New Testament and they are presented in roughly chronological order. Most of the mosaics are in the exonarthex and esonarthex (two lateral west porches). These depict scenes from the life of the Virgin and the early life of Christ.

The later life of Christ was probably depicted in mosaics in the nave (or naos), but now only three mosaic panels survive in this central room: the Dormition of the Virgin over the west door; Christ to the left of the apse; and the Virgin and Child to the right of the apse.

Exonarthex (Outer Narthex)

The exonarthex is just inside the west entrance. It is a lateral hall 4 m wide and 23 m long. The subjects of its mosaics include:

Joseph and Mary appearing before the Governor of Syria for the census
Nativity of Christ
Journey of the Magi
Inquiry of King Herod
Flight into Egypt
Massacre of the Innocents ordered by King Herod
Mothers mourning for their children
Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist
Joseph dreaming
Return of the holy family from Egypt to Nazareth
Christ taken to Jerusalem for the Passover
John the Baptist bearing witness to Christ
Miracle
Three more miracles
Jesus Christ
Virgin and Angels praying

Esonarthex (Inner Narthex)

The esonarthex runs parallel to the exonarthex between it and the nave. It is also 4m wide but slightly shorter at 18 m long. Its eastern door leads into the nave while a southern door leads into the antechamber of the parecclesion and a northern door leads into a north aisle outside the nave.

The mosaics in the first three bays of the inner narthex depict the Life of the Virgin and her parents Anne and Joachim. The esonarthex has two domes: the smaller above the entrance to the northern corridor; the larger midway between the entrances into the naos and the pareclession.

Mosaic subjects in the esonarthex include the following:

Theodore Metochites dedicates the church to Christ
Saint Peter
Saint Paul
Deesis: Christ and the Virgin Mary (without John the Baptist) with two donors below. One is Maria Palaiologina, illegitimate daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos (ruled 1258-1282), wife of the Mongol ruler Abaqa Khan, and an influential Christian leader among the Mongols.
Genealogy of Christ
Rejection of Joachim's offerings
Annunciation of Saint Anne, the angel of the Lord announcing to Anne that her prayer for a child has been heard
Meeting of Joachim and Anne
Birth of the Virgin Mary
First seven steps of the Virgin
The Virgin given affection by her parents
The Virgin blessed by the priests
Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple
The Virgin receiving bread from an Angel
The Virgin receiving purple wool to weave the curtain for the Temple
the High Priest Zechariah praying
Zechariah calling widowers together to place their staffs on the altar, praying for a sign showing who the Virgin should marry
The Virgin entrusted to Joseph
Joseph taking the Virgin to his house
Annunciation of the Virgin
Joseph leaving the Virgin on a business trip; when he returns, she is pregnant

Frescoes of the Paracclesion

Running along the south side of the central church is a Paracclesion - a burial chamber or mortuary chapel used by the patron and his family. It is decorated with frescoes, which were painted shortly after the mosaics and probably by the same artist. Appropriate to their context in the burial chamber, the frescoes depict themes relating to the afterlife:

Cupola: Virgin and Child in the central medallion, surrounded by ancestors
Anastasis or Harrowing of Hell. Christ takes Adam by the hand to lead him out of Hades. Behind Adam are John the Baptist, King David, King Solomon and other righteous kings
Last Judgment, centered on Christ Enthroned, with a huge scroll above him in the sky, the Redeemed on the lower left and the Lake of Fire on the right
Virgin and Child
Heavenly Court of Angels
Two panels of Moses
full-length portraits of saintly Orthodox bishops

Quick Facts

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

Travel Resources

Istanbul Map - our own interactive city map plus links to more online maps
Guided Tours of Istanbul - sightseeing tours, activities, day trips
Istanbul Hostels - search and book budget lodgings
Istanbul Hotel Reviews - the real truth on hotels from fellow travelers
Istanbul Car Rentals - explore Turkey with a car picked up in Istanbul
Istanbul Travel Forum - tips, answers and advice on Istanbul

Article Sources

David Talbot Rice, Art of the Byzantine Era (New York: Thames and Hudson, 1997), 223-32. Thames and Hudson World of Art Series.
Chora Museum - Turkeyvision.com (includes detailed plan of mosaics)
Chora Church - Wikipedia
St. Savior in Chora (Kariye Müzesi; formerly the Kariye Camii) - Frommer's
Kariye Camii - Welcome to Constantinople by Prof. Robert Ousterhout
Maria Palaiologina - Wikipedia

Location Map

Below is a location map and aerial view of the Kariye Mosque. 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. For a larger view, see our Istanbul Map or get our free Google Earth download.