The Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora (Kariye Camii), a Byzantine Jewel in Istanbul

Chora Church, exterior, back view.

As Roy engages in the daunting task of sorting out our photographs, I asked him to share a few on my blog.

Here are a few of The Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora, a Byzantine Jewel, which Simon Jenkins of the Ship of Fools had suggested we see. I loved it.

Now over to Roy:

Chora Church is a small church some distance from the historic center of Istanbul, but the mosaics, regarded as the most beautiful surviving Byzantine mosaics in Istanbul,  were definitely one of the highlights of our visit. Being out of the way, it is usually not  very crowded, and being small allows a much closer view of the mosaics.  It was first a church, then a mosque, and now a museum.  I have divided the images into sections: exterior, major mosaics of Christ and the Virgin, smaller mosaics of the life of Christ, and the frescoes of the Parekklesion.  The last two are the most unusual, at least to the non-Byzantine viewer.

Exterior of the Church

Chora Church, exterior, back view.

Interior–main images of Christ and the Virgin This picture shows the relative small size of the main part of the church, the ceiling mosiacs, and a tour group.  Additional closeups follow.

Dome with mosaic of Christ Pantocrator (surrounded by apostles and prophets?)

Christ Pantocrator(Chora Church, istanbul)

Christ Pantocrator–mosaic on end wall, Chora church, Istanbul)

There is a dome with similar to the one with Christ at the center, but instead with the virgin and child.

Virgin with the young Christ, central image in a dome, Chora Church, Istanbul.

Christ and the Virgin, wall mosaic/fresco, Chora Church, Istanbul.

The dormition of the Virgin, Chora Church, Istanbul. (The child Christ is holding represents May’s soul.)

Smaller mosiacs

There are numerous smaller mosaics illustrating the life of Christ and saints.  This mosaic is on a dome and the arches next to it.

Mosaic on interior of a dome, Chora Church, Istanbul.

The wedding at Cana, Chora Church, Istanbul.

Please correct me if I have the wrong captions!

Feeding the 5000. (Chora Church, Istanbul.)

Twelve baskets gathered after the feeding of the 5000.

“If only I could touch the hem of his robe” (above), Healing the man with a paralysed arm (?), bottom right.

The annunciation

Healing the two blind beggars (?)

St Peter, (Chora Church, Istanbul.)

St. Paul (Chora Church, Istanbul.)

The flight into Egypt.

St. Joseph, on foot. Flight into Egypt. (Chora Church, Istanbul.)

and many more, but I’ll move on now.

Parekklesion (Side chapel)

This side chapel was used for memorials and family burials, and was decorated with frescoes.

Christ raising Adam and Eve from their coffins.

The Last Judgement

Intriguing “snail shell” and beings from last Judgement.

Dome of the parekklesion (Chora Church, Istanbul.)

Angel, Parekklesion (Chora Church, Istanbul.)

Some other photos from Istanbul:

The Topkapi Palace

Views of Istanbul, Including the Little Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia

The Blue Mosque

A Bosphorus Cruise

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