by Elizabeth Coughlan

Created on: September 16, 2010

Many visitors to Istanbul miss this perfect gem of a museum, as it is set apart from the usual tourist trails. The Kariye Museum (once the Church of the Holy Savior in Chora) is in Camii Sok, by the Edirne Gate in Edirnekapi. The area can be reached by bus or taxi, or by taking one of the half-day tours from Sultanahmet that visit this ancient site. The reason for the museum's out-of-the way location is that it was originally built in the countryside (chora), outside the city walls demarcated by Constantine the Great.

The original church dates from the 4th century and is believed to have been part of a monastery. The present building dates from the late 11th century, and has undergone many repairs and restructuring over the centuries. What makes this museum so significant is the fact that, in Istanbul, this building is second only to the Aya Sofia (Hagia Sophia) as a monument to the Byzantine era. It was even designated one of the 30 must-see museums of the world, in the book “1,000 Places To See Before You Die” by Patricia Schultz. Nevertheless, it remains little known by the millions of tourists that visit Istanbul every year.

The interior of the Kariye Museum is covered in the most beautiful mosaics, depicting important stories from the bible, as well as some outstanding frescos. These all date from the restoration of the church in the early 14th century by Theodore Metochites, prime minister and first lord of the treasury at that time. He was so proud of his work that one of the mosaics shows him presenting the model of the renovated Chora Church to Christ. This echoes a 10th century mosaic at the Aya Sofia, where Justinian is offering the basilica to the Madonna and Child.

In 1511, the church was turned into a mosque, but the mosaics and frescos in the outer galleries and the side chapel, or parekklesion as it is known, were covered over and not destroyed. Unfortunately those in the nave have almost all disappeared, save for three. Instead, the walls are covered in precious marble panels. Most of the artifacts of Islamic worship were removed during the 1948 restoration, when it was declared a museum, and all that remains is the original marble mihrab.

The roofs and upper walls of the inner and outer narthexes are completely covered by an extraordinary collection of mosaics on golden backgrounds. It really is worthwhile to hire one of the knowledgeable guides, or buy a guidebook from the little shop, in order to follow the sequence of the bible stories told in the mosaics, and to understand the exquisitely painted frescos that adorn the walls of the parekklesion, or burial chapel. The frescos depict the theme of life and death according to the Orthodox Church. The most glorious of these is set in the half-dome, and shows the resurrection of Christ. Theodore Metochites built this funerary chamber for himself, and the marble stone marking his grave can be seen at the entrance to the church.

The way into the museum is to the left of the building, where there is a ticket office. After visiting the Kariye (Chora) Museum, visitors exit through what was the main entrance to the church. Before you leave, look back at the large mosaic of Jesus on the wall opposite, and watch the eyes as they follow you, wherever you go. Then cross the road to the restaurant, where you can sit and contemplate the chaotic, but strangely beautiful, architecture that has survived two thousand years of renovation and change. You won't be sorry that you took the time to visit the Kariye (Chora) Museum.

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