Chora Church

Chora (Kariye in Turkish) has been a working mosque again since 2024, and the visit is organised around that. Tourist entry pauses around prayer times, and foreign visitors need a ticket. The Museum Pass (Müzekart) is not valid here. The arrangement is set by the Directorate General of Foundations and has changed before, so check the current rules before you go.

What people come for are the Byzantine mosaics in the two entrance halls (the outer and inner narthex). Look up into the small domes for the genealogy of Christ, follow the cycles of the life of the Virgin and the miracles of Christ, and find the panel above the door where Theodore Metochites, who paid for the decoration, offers the church to Christ. The scenes are small and detailed, so bring patience rather than a wide-angle lens. Thirty minutes to an hour is enough for most visitors.

Dress as for any mosque: women cover their hair, shoulders and knees should be covered, and shoes come off at the entrance. Be discreet with cameras when people are praying. Chora sits in the Edirnekapı neighbourhood of Fatih, just inside the Theodosian land walls, a taxi ride from Sultanahmet. Combine it with a walk along the walls and a look at the Mihrimah Sultan Mosque nearby. Check the hours on the museum page.