Chora Church

The Chora Church is open every day at 9:00 a.m., with seasonal closing hours; check ahead for the most up-to-date schedule, which may be modified by significant national and religious Turkish holidays. The best time to visit Chora Church is early in the morning to avoid crowds.

See some of the top historical things to do in Turkey across the Church, which is divided into four areas.

• The mosaics in the outside Narthex show the life of Jesus. The Christ Pantocrator mosaic on the entryway of the Inner Narthex is particularly remarkable. While earthquakes have damaged some of the mosaics in this section of the cathedral, they are typically in extremely good shape.
• The mosaics in the Inner Narthex recount the narrative of the Virgin Mary. Several of the mosaics in this section are from the apocryphal bible and depict scenarios that are not found in other churches. On the south side of the Inner Narthex, there is a mosaic sequence depicting Jesus' miracles. An entrance leads to Parecclesion, the burial chapel, from the south of the Inner Narthex.
• The Nave is accessible via the inner narthex. The major portion is fairly straightforward. This is the final sight of stunning Byzantine mosaics in the interior and external passageways. On both sides of the altar, there is a mosaic representing Jesus and Mary. The main section provides stillness and tranquility as if to demonstrate that the edifice was formerly a monastery.
• The most distinguishing feature of Chora Church Turkey is the preclusion. Theodore Metochites, the church's patron, erected this section later and was buried here after he died. The frescoes on the Parecclesion's walls and ceiling are stunning. On the walls are images of Christian martyrs and notable patriarchs from the past. Resurrection and last judgment scenarios are depicted on the ceiling.