Why visit / Interesting facts:
- Beautiful frescoes and mosaics
- Some of the world's finest surviving Byzantine art
Time required: 60 minutes
Phone: + 90 212 631 9241
Opening hours:
| Time period | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Thurs - Tues: | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Wednesdays: | Closed |
Admission:
| Ticket type | Charge |
|---|---|
| General: | 10 TL |
Public transport:
- Bus nr 32: Edirnekapi stop
Address: Avcıbey Mh., Kariye Türbesi Sokak 16, Istanbul
Photos: (see more photos)
Photo: CharlesFred
Things you need to know:
- Church of St Saviour Chora is a secularized museum in Istanbul since 1948
- Originally it was built as a Byzantine church in the 11th century. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful examples of Byzantine churches
- The world class interior decorations were added in the middle of the 14th century. They are considered to be the finest example of Byzantine art
- More than 100 mosaics and frescoes decorate the walls. They are illustrating scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary and depict other Biblical images
- When the church was converted into a mosque in 1511, the frescoes and mosaics were plastered over. This helped preserve these masterpieces
What to do there:
- Walk around and enjoy the more than 50 fabulous mosaic panels dating from about 1310, most in excellent shape
- Do not miss the garden behind the church
Tips & Insights:
- As the frescoes are very fragile no flash photography is permitted
- Byzantine city walls
- If you are in a hurry we recommend taking a taxi to get to Church of St Saviour Chora
