The Kariye Museum (Chora Church)
Treasures of Turkey
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Documentary, History, Special Interest, Travel
The Chora Church was founded in the 530s (CE) by Saint Theodore. Damaged by earthquakes, the church was restored numerous times. As it stands today, the church was completed in the 14th Century by the powerful Byzantine statesman, Metochites. In 1511, a minaret and a mihrab were annexed by Hadim Ali Pasha to covert the church into the Kariye Mosque. The structure and the mosaics inside were preserved in their original state. The mosque was later turned into a museum in 1945. As one of the finest examples of Byzantine art, the church is the most outstanding work built during the Palaiologan era. A mesermerising sanctuary covered with amazing scenes from Christian theology, some of which are based on the Old Testament.
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