I recently made a three hour Istanbul tour in Balat, one of Istanbul’s oldest neighbourhoods. This part of town is a melting pot of immigrants, including Jews, Orthodox Christians, and of course Turks. It took me to the old City Walls, the Kariye Museum (Kariye Müzesi or Chora Church) and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. If you’re interested in Istanbul’s history from the late Roman times to contemporary periods, this is a nice excursion to make
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Chora Church / Kariye Museum |
I found my way to the Kariye Museum in Edirnekapı, Fatih. But I didn’t go in yet. Since I was still fresh, I first walked a little uphill followed by a rather steep flight of stairs up the remains of the 5th century (and later) city walls. Although this climb is certainly not for everyone (there is no railing for instance), it is worth it. The view over the city is magnificent and what’s left of the walls — only one third of the original structure — is impressive.
Kariye Museum or Chora Church
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Chora Church / Kariye Museum |
After
descending from the city walls, I found my way back to the Kariye Museum or
Chora Church. This site developed from a small chapel in a rural setting —
Chora means ‘in the country’ — into a Byzantine church (11th century) with
convent. Later, after the siege of Constantinople, the church was converted
into a mosque and became a museum in 1950.
Luckily
the interior of the church was pretty much left untouched after the fall of
Constantinople. Even today some of the finest Byzantine mosaics and frescoes can
be found in the Kariye Museum, making it the most important Byzantine monument
in Istanbul after the Hagia Sophia.
It was
dedicated to Christ the Savior. The interior of the building is covered with
wonderful mosaics and frescoes, illustrating scenes from the life of Christ and
the Virgin Mary. Also pay special attention to its unique construction, and the
usage of marble.
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