Chora Church / Kariye Museum, Istanbul (must see)

Chora Church is also known as the Kariye Mosque or the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chura. This religious building was originally a Greek Orthodox church. It was converted into a mosque in the 16th century under the orders of the Grand Vizier of Sultan Bayezid II.

The church was built in the 4th century under the direction of Constantine the Great. At that time, the church was located outside of the city walls. Its original location in the countryside is indicated in its name as the word chora is Greek for land or country.

Chora Church was renovated as an inscribed cross under the direction of Maria Dukaina. Damage to the building, thought to be the fault of an earthquake, caused yet another rebuilding sometime between 1315 and 1321. It was at that time that the church was decorated with Palaeologian Renaissance mosaics.

For much of its history, Chora Church has been a holy place for people to gather. However, it also enjoyed a stint as a museum from 1945 through 2020. Though the building has regained mosque status and now holds prayer services, patrons can still visit the mosque to enjoy the fine mosaics, frescos and architecture.

Why You Should Visit:
While certainly smaller than Hagia Sophia, Chora is nonetheless no less majestic or magical thanks to its more complete mosaic collection.