Glorious mosaics and frescoes from the Byzantine era. What it lacks in size, the Kariye Museum or the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora makes up for it with its breathtakingly beautiful interior. The place is slightly out of the way, with no access to it by public transport, and just as well, since it was not chockablock full of tourists, just a bunch of aficionados all clutching their guidebooks, examining and scrutinizing every details. It is a sheer joy to admire the beautiful mosaics and the frescoes, and wonder about the days when the church was converted into a mosque in the 16th century and all the images were buried in plaster. This is simply a treasure not to be missed if one is ever in Istanbul.
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| The unassuming exterior of Kariye Museum, Istanbul |
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| One of the domes featuring Christ as the centre piece |
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| One of the domes featuring the Virgin Mary and Child as the centre piece |
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| Beautiful mosaics depicting the life of Christ |
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| More mosaics |
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| The side chapel covered in frescoes |
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| More mosaics |
