Chora church Museum - Kariye

Chora church Museum (Kariye)

At the 11th century the church Chora church museum (Kariye) was built On the site of a small church built at the 5th century. Its interior decoration was carried out at the 14th century on the orders of Theodore Métochite.

The church contains a whole series of mosaics à.fond of gold (considered like most beautiful with those of Ravenne) and of frescos of the rebirth byzantine (XIVè century), of a remarkable refinement and in a perfect state of conservation and restoration. They are most significant pictorial works by far byzantines of the world, as well by their beauty as by their number.

The œuvres retraçent the biblical episodes with a large variety of settings in scene, thus showing the power of inspiration of the artists byzantins of the time.

It was transformed into mosque only in 1511, a long time after the catch of the city, and part of the mosaics and frescos were covered of a lime paint. Its restoration started in 1950 thanks to the Byzantin institute of Washington.

The church Saint Saver became the Kariye museum in 1948.