CHORA CHURCH

The present day St Savior Church of Chora dates back from the late 11th century, although the name is derived from an earlier mosque and monastery which had existed on the site. The Church of Chora was converted into a mosque in 1510 by the grand vizier of Beyazid II and thereafter bore the name Kariye Mosque. The Church of Chora contains the most significant series of Byzantine mosaics and paintings, which were obscured for centuries by minor renovations and earthquakes. They were restored in 1948 in an effort led by the most distinguished Byzantine historians in the world.