1/3/13
We had read that the Chora Church was one of the best buildings to see while in Istanbul. However, it is a bit off the beaten path so takes a bit of planning to get there! It was actually not difficult, just one of the first times we had to plan something out but figuring out which train to take and then the connections needed.
This was originally built in the early 5th century as a monastery outside of the walls of what was then Constantinople. The original name translated to ‘the church of the Holy Redeemer in the Fields’ as it was out in ‘country’. Sadly in the 12th century an earthquake destroyed much of the original structure. The rebuild was done in many phases, with most of the mosaics inside being completed between 1315 – 1321. Eventually the church was converted to a mosque.
There are 3 sections of the church and all are filled with beautiful mosaic works. In 1958 it became a museum allowing the public to enjoy the beauty of the artwork. sorry there are so many pictures, but it was just so beautiful, it is hard to narrow down to less. Enjoy AND make an effort to get there!
Chora Museum is closed on Wednesday.
timistravels 
Leave a Reply