See one of the best examples of Byzantine design in the region with a trip to Chora Museum, whose interior is entirely covered in fine mosaics and frescoes. Originally built by Constantine the Great, this church has been reconstructed five times. Most significantly, Ottoman rulers converted the structure into a mosque in the 16th century. A bit off the beaten path, you have to travel to Istanbul's Western Erdinekapı neighborhood to find this building, which opened as a secular museum in 1948. However, the masterful and aesthetically stunning interior makes this trip worthwhile. Choose to start, finish, or center your holiday on a trip to Chora Museum by using our Istanbul online trip itinerary maker.
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Chora Museum reviews
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Not that easy to get to, so I was very disappointed that is was closed for renovation and expected to be closed for at least a year. Apparently doing renovations both inside and outside as it wasn't.... more
Not that easy to get to, so I was very disappointed that is was closed for renovation and expected to be closed for at least a year. Apparently doing renovations both inside and outside as it wasn't.... more »
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We were eager to see the mosaics and eventually found our way to Chora Church, only to find it closed for renovation and being converted into a mosque (2 April 2022). The kind folks at the Pembe cafe.... more
We were eager to see the mosaics and eventually found our way to Chora Church, only to find it closed for renovation and being converted into a mosque (2 April 2022). The kind folks at the Pembe cafe.... more »
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Beautiful, unfortunately it is still undergoing work so areas are closed off (hence the 4 stars). It is quite nice they have small benches to be able to just sit and take it in. Even the parts where the tiles of mosaics are missing are intriguing as you can see the markings underneath they used as a template. Somewhere I would definitely revisit once all works are finished.
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Very beautiful church which is under restoration. The conversation of this church into a mosque in the 21th century is a shame. The build should in my opinion remain as a church, or at least be converted into a museum.
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