As of 5 October 2021 the site is closed for restoration. The building is shrouded in painted canvas. You can see nothing of the building.

Amazing frescoes here. Well preserved there are in-house guides you can pay for. They will probably give u more guidance.Building itself is under restoration works, also this will become a msoque in the future so it be interesting to see what happens o the frescoes

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.

The mosque is currently under renovation and so no visitors are allowed but theres this lovely art school right across the street where you can meet local artists and purchase their work at reasonable rates.

Much of this church/museum is closed for restoration work and the ticket price has not been reduced. However, what was on show was amazing and well preserved. We had a museum pass and this site was included, so it didnt cost us extra and we enjoyed the journey and location as well.

The Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora, known as Chora Church is a medieval Byzantine Greek Orthodox church, now converted as the Chora Museum in the Edirnekapı neighborhood of Istanbul.It is under restauration, but you can actually visit it (price is 55 TL in 2020)

Most parts of it are under renovation. It’s not worth the entry pass in its current state. Still a lot of beautiful mosaics and frescos that has to be seen.

Beautiful old Christian Church c. 300 a.d. the mosaics are stunning. Tucked away in a residential neighborhood in Istanbul. If you are staying in city center it can be accessed by public transport and is definitely worth the trip.

Amazing ancient Church. The location is not big, but it has the best preserved ancient mosaics and wall paintings. Parts of the Church are on renovation, but there is enough to see. Highly recommend visiting this museum.

Definitely a highlight in our trip. Originally built as part of a monastery complex, this is one of the few remaining Byzantine churches in Istanbul. It really stands out for its many beautiful decorations in its interior.Huge crowds, but worth the trek up and down the small streets.

Would get a five-star if the restoration is finished as planned. I have learned from the website that the work would be over by late-April 2019. I went there yesterday, mid-May, and a large section on the right side was still closed for the restoration job. This is disappointing.The audio guide, a smart phone with audio files for different sections of the museum, is for rent at 15 lira. The one-time ticket costs 45 lira. Altogether 60 for one facade section, one interior section, and one hall inside. I think this is quite pricey, considering the closed sections.Some signs for the corresponding audio files could not be found.Toilets need more regular cleaning.I went straight from the airport to the museum in order to spend time before the check-in time of my hotel. No deposit service for the baggage though. Already paid, the staff at the entrance said i could not take my suitcase with me inside either. They said that was forbidden. A few awkward moments! Only when i turned to the manager, i was allowed to take it with me inside. Not a nice experience.

Amazing byzantine mosaics and frescoes unique in the world. The museum has been converted now into a mosque in 2020. At the moment you still pay an entrance fee but they haven’t covered the mosaics like in Hagia Sophia with curtains although that might happen soon as in November 2020 was officially opened for praying. In Oct 2020 when I visited the frescoes side were under renovation and they were preparing the whole place to be opened for prayer in November 2020. It is hard to follow some of the changes in Turkey’s heritage these days so better check in advanced to avoid disappointments as you may go to visit and find everything covered with curtains.

This museum is included in the museum card (müzekart). And if you’re a fan of mosaics be sure not to miss the Chora Church (Kariye Müzesi), which houses some of the finest and oldest Byzantine mosaics in Istanbul.South of the Golden Horn above Fener and Balat, at the top of the hill in Edirnekapı lies the Chora Church.‘Kariye’ is the Arabic translation of the Greek word ‘Chora’ which means ‘country’ or land’. Today the locals call it Kariye Müzesi while tour books and English translations refer to it as the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora or the Chora Church. The name ‘chora’ deduces that it was built in the country and originally resided outside the walls of Constantinople.Note: it’s known by multiple names, Turks know it as Kariye Müzesi, Kariye Camii or Kariye Kilisesi. Foreigners will refer to it as the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora, Chora Church and the Chora Museum.

Very small and mostly in reparation that they tell you just once you buy the ticket . In the current state is not worth to visit , make sure the reparations are over , otherwise it is not worth it to visit .Beside it’s location is very intricate .

Beautiful place; which must be protected. Do not turn that beautiful place into a mosque; there are enough of them.

When I went this was under renovation the whole building was wrapped up.Lack of captions inside. You probably need to rent a audio guide device if you want to better understand the meaning of mosaics.The mosaics are very beautiful though!

Currently partially under renovation, and only some parts can be visited.

Beautiful, but Im looking forward to the restoration being done. Restoration work has recently begun again so hopefully the end is in sight. Unfortunately the nicest parts are now closed and the main dome, which is missing its mosaics, is open.

Its one of the most beautiful churches Ive ever been to. Its definitely worth your while to pay the visit. The entrance isnt easy to find, though.

Amazing to think the mosaics and frescoes have survived all these years. The central section of the church was closed for restoration work when I visited.

Most sufisticated mosaics for all times!And most impressive icons of The Saviour and His Mother!

Just go to see that mosque you dont gonna be regret

The mosaics are great but definitely take a tour guide for listen to stories

Its a beautiful museum, definitely worth visiting. Be careful when you get the audio guide, it costs 15TL, however, the audio tracks and the number signs next to the exhibition dont match.

Very interesting! Very beautiful!

Would not recommend off season. I understand that its necessary to restore the church and its wise to do when theres less traffic but covering the entire thing with plastic and still charging 45TL is absurd (for comparison, the Dolmabache palace was 60TL and it took some two hours to walk through). The inside of the church is still marvelous with its intricate mosaics, but it only takes around 15 minutes to see completely.

I loved to see this place, it will take your breath, the way this mosaics have been done at this era, it’s fascinating, spare some time and visit this place for sure, get the audio guide, very lovely stories, I am very sad that 3 section were closed for restoration, recommended

Beautiful but small place.. Outside still undre construction when visited Mar-2020, they said it will finish in 2021..I dont regret the visit anyway..

Well preserved church. Amazing architecture and art................................................................................You will surprised when you enter the museum.😮😮😮😮😮********************************************This is good place to study church culture in ancestors Istanbul.

The museum it is currently (winter 2019) under partial reconstruction, so it is quite small. The audio guide is a little boring, but does describe what is what. The place looks cool, the mosaics are preserved much better then in Hagia Sofia and have apocryphal plots which are very unique.

One of the most beautiful monuments in Istanbul, a hidden treasure that is certainly worth visiting. A small Capella Sistina of the Palaeologian Renaissance from the 14th century that was lost for centuries and then re-discovered by Thomas Whittemore after 1945 when the layer of plaster covering these magnificent works of art has been removed after 4,5 centuries! Very few masterpieces of Byzantine art made it through the centuries in Istanbul and this one is a rare example that you shouldnt miss out!

Chora church, later Kariye mosque and now museum dating back to 500s AD, the mosaics and frescos inside are amazing, unfortunately museum is under restoration and covered from outside, the good news is Naos, which is the main hall is open to visitors now, there is also a small museum shop at entry.

Amazing! Biblical images in tiny little sort of mosaics very well preserved, 54TL is not the cheapest highlight in Istambul, it will be worth a visit after the restoration

Under heavy restoration and can’t see much. In and out within 5 minutes. Definitely not worth the admission fee and quite far from rest of tourist sites. Only worth seeing if you have extra time to spend and have the museum pass. Outside is completely covered in scaffold. Inside gift shop is half the size of the viewable area.

Impressive former Byzantine church & mosque, now a museum. The mosaics of the original church are incredibly well preserved, telling important stories from the Bible symbolically. Although not free, I highly recommend purchasing the audioguide from the ticket booth outside. There are about 12 chapters, about 2-4 min each, that explain the history, architecture, and significance of the mosaics.

A great place to see lots of beautiful mosaic pictures of Jesus.

I loved that place! Totally amazing. Restorations are still ongoing but every part of it smells history. You can see the details in everywhere. It tells the Jesus Christs story generally but so much labor on it. Recommend!! I will come again after restorations over

Dont enjoy it much because the renovation is in progress. So theres only 2 rooms to see

I give 5 stars because of its mosaics inside which are absolutely incredibly made. The level of byzantine art can be seen at its real peak here. Inside you can find, like in an old church an amazing entry and some corridors with walls painted or decorated by real mosaics. The biggest downside is the fact that by the time I write this review the church (now a mosque/museum) is closed by half of it because of conservation and restauration issues. But you can see the entrance and the right side of the navy, which has the most important paintings and mosaics on it. PS. The timetable is modified, the museum is opened only starting with 1:00 pm (13:00 oclock).

The Turkish word Kariye is derived from the ancient Greek word Chora meaning outside of the city (land). It is known that there was a chapel outside of the city before the 5th century when the city walls were erected. The first Chora Church was rebuilt by Justinianus (527-565) in place of this chapel. In the era of Komnenoi, it served as the court chapel for important religious ceremonies, thanks to its nearness to the Palace of Blachernae.Chora Church (Chora Kirke) was destroyed during the Latin invasion (1204-1261) and repaired in the reign of Andronikos II (1282-1328) by the Treasury Minister of the palace, Theodore Metochites (1313). It was expanded towards north, an exonarthex was added to its western side and a chapel (Parecclesion) to its southern side, and it was decorated with mosaics and frescoes.The mosaics and frescoes in the Chora are the most beautiful examples dating from the last period of the Byzantine painting (14th century). The characteristic stylistic elements in those mosaics and frescoes are the depth, the movements and plastic values of figures and the elongation of figures.

The finest examples of Byzantine mosaics that have remained to the present day are the ones found in the Chora Church (Chora Monastery). This building was used for a time as a mosque and was known as the Kariye Camisi. Following the Second World War the building was repaired and restored and opened as a museum. The walls and the domes of this structure are ornamented with mosaics. These pictures are very alive and they portray the lives of Jesus and Mary, the death of Mary.The fresco of the Last Judgment belonging to this church is on exhibit at the Hagia Sophia. Many other examples of Byzantine architecture are still being used today. Some of these structures are the Little Hagia Sophia, The church of St. Irene, The Mescit of Sheik Suleyman, the Mescit of Sancaktar, the Pantocreator Monastery (Zeyrek Camii), the Monastery of Akaleptos (Kalanderhane Camii), the church of St. Tekla Atik.(Mustafapasa Camii), The church of St. Theodosia (Gul Camii), The church of the Myrelaion Monastery (Bodrum Camii) and the church of the Lips Monastery (Fenari Isa Camii). The church of St. Euphemia the Martyr was built in the fifth century AD and is a circular building standing in Sultanahmet Square. The most unique feature of this building is its very interesting frescos.One of these portrays the torture and death of Euphemia from Kadikoy who is believed to have been killed because of her religious beliefs. Most of the churches and monasteries of the Byzantine period were converted to mosques and this fact has actually helped these structure to survive for 1200-1500 years as they were thus kept in a state of repair.

Amazing spot. Little but full of history. Well preserved iconographs. Must go places of İstanbul. After this I suggest walk through Balat to Eminönü. Amazing route for photographers.

Spectacular Byzantine mosaics and frescoes! Shame that they dont let us see the (frustratingly endless) restoration in the main church... only two corridors are currently open to the public.

Magnificent mosaics but is under restoration and you only can visit three rooms.Entrance is quite expensive 45 Turkish lira !!!

Mostly closed for restoration but still full charge including my kids of 13 and 15. Nice what you can see. 2 corridors rest shut off. Outside under scaffolding. Suggest avoid for two years unless it reduces the entry fee.

Beautiful place!

The Chora Museum is definitely worth the trek out to Faith. The interiors which showcase the Christian origins. The mosaics are absolutely brilliant.

Just wonderful. The mosaics and frescoes are worth the trip.

It is closed for restoration. Disappointed ☹️

Outstanding experience. My fourth time here. Never can get enough.

This museum is a little bit isolated and you need to take a taxi to get there. The museum in under renovation so the the facade is blocked by the scaffolding.The mosaics inside are really beautiful and cover the upper ceiling .one section which covers a third of the museum is closed for restoration.You pay 54 Turkish lira and you get to see 3 small sections which will probably take you about 20 minutes to see.

Beautiful church, it is quite far from the city centre. Unfortunately it was under major renovations.

The place has been closed for 4 months and there is not planned time when they will open. Still a beautiful trek from the ferry to get here!

Beautiful church but most is closed off due to restoration including the main church but you still have to pay the full entrance fee !

It was closed. I went like 2 days ago

The exterior is under restauration, I could not appreciate its nice architecture. Mosaics inside are beautiful but very few are still there..

Nice small Church with a museum. Worth to see, usually not crowed. Area itself is nice, near Fener. Tickets are a bit pricy though.

A little off the beaten path, but worth the effort. The Byzantine mosaics are amazing! World class mosaics, up close and personal. They even permit pictures, which is often not permitted in Istanbul museums. The murals and church building was undergoing restoration efforts.

You will feel you have traveled back in time you will feel the chills while walking in this masterpiece! Don’t forget to rent a recorded guide. It’s a very small museum but worth visiting.

If you like Sofya Hagia, you will like Chora Museum as well.Its free for Museum Card holders. Ticket is 30TL.Big renovation going on. Only 1/4 can be visited.

First of all, nothing interesting in this building. Everything seems quite fake. Secondly, the ticket is too pricy for just looking at two rooms. There is no second floor as it is described on the outer side. It is better to enjoy walking along the wall which is 200 ft away to the hills.

The exterior is closed off for restoration and so is most of the interior, however the mosaic inside are truly astonishing work to admire. Still worth a visit if you have the museum pass.

İstanbul has more than its fair share of Byzantine monuments, but few are as drop-dead gorgeous as this mosaic-laden church. Nestled in the shadow of Theodosius IIs monumental land walls and now a museum overseen by the curators of Aya Sofya, it receives a fraction of thevisitor numbers that its big sister attracts but offers an equally fascinating insight into Byzantine art.

In this church you can feel the Byzantine Christianity. very impressive

Note before heading here, it has been converted to a MOSQUE, and subsequently all the paintings etc. have been covered, so pretty much nothing left to see here.

Small church turned museum how ever the mosiacs are stunning with the amount of effort that must have gone in to making them. One room tells the story of Mary, so if you get a guide get them to tell you the story from the pictures

Its small but amazing!

Small former church, nice and full of authenticity I guess.

Too pricy ticket (65 TL) for only watching a small size building ! They don’t even have change if you pay cash, better to pay by card. The external building is under renovation and covered by scaffolding and it is too noisy. The site has great byzantine mosaic and frescos

Mini Ayasofia. Extraordinary mosaics.

Its a rip-off! First of all, there is only 2 tiny rooms with hardly anything to see! And IF the mosaics are real, then they only go back to the 14th Century. Id happily pay the huge fee if the mosaics were from like the 2nd century or something, but its not. I was literally in there for 2 minutes. SAVE YOUR MONEY!

Currently being restored. Some areas closed. Amazing mosaics. Well worth visiting!

If you like fresco paint, also disappointed damaged fresco paint in hagia sophia, you should visit here

The Chora Museum located in the north west of Istanbul is a fabulous old Byzantine era church with exceptional Christian frescoes that will delight anyone who visits. Although much of the church was closed for renovations the frescoes we could see well worth the visit.

We asked for a guide who explained the story of paintings for us. I was amazed by legends and beauty.

Another very oretty mosque

Not accessible due to heavy renovations. The area is worth walking through though.

The mosaic and frescos were very impressive. Though a small church, recommend it for the sake of the art.

Now its closed because its not museum, its a mosque. Was there 7 years ago and it was magnificent.

Is in recovering work but is open

Quite the ripoff. The building is under renovation, only a couple rooms can be seen, yet the entrance ticket is full price. Too bad, as it seems to be really beautiful.

Without words, this place is awesome and has a lot of history. You can breath peace inside.Always is quiet here different to the other place crowded in Istanbul

It is a nice museum and it was a very beautiful church,but even though it was under contruction and we couldnt see the main part - they charged the full price of the ticket..not very nice of them

Closed for restoration. No previous info and I walked from the Fatih Mosque to there and lots of hills, lots of walking for nothing.

This small museum (church made in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian) has amazingly maintained vivid colorful frescoes and mosaics. Such a treat to the eyes. It is a small museum so you don’t need much time but since each mosaic has a biblical story, take it all in.

This is very expencive ticket to see just some partly preserved mosaics. I would have skipped it if I knew better.

Wonderful place

Great mosaics. Unfortunately Erdogan has turned it from museum to mosque, so not always open.

Unfortunately closed due to renovations. I later found out that Erdogan has converted this to a mosque as well. No comments about this...

Mosaic and frescoes are high quality and reflect western early rennasaince influences on late Byzantine sacred art.

Nice but expensive entrance 45 TL because its too small.Under restoration.

The ticket’s cost was 45 TL and it took less than 20 minutes to see the historic church from the inside! Totally worth visiting but not large.

Told scaffolding there til atart of summer 2021The main room (judgment scene?) inside is also closed. Still pleasant

Amazing place with terrific mosaics! Worth a visit

Very nice

An expectular ancient churchMust visit!

Closed last Friday. Call a restaurant near there or something ahead of time to ask if theyre open before you spend the time and effort to get here.

Beautiful Mosec Wall Art

Magnificent mosaics worth a look. The entry ticket is cheap. But keep in mind that the church itself is under reconstruction. So, some areas are not accessible. And also the exterior is behind the scaffolding.

Nice church