Chora Church,Kariye Müzesi, Kariye Camii, Kariye Kilisesi, Istanbul, Turkey

Chora Church 位於舊城區的西邊，建於西元五世紀。後來在鄂圖曼王朝時改建為清真寺，13~14世紀的精美馬賽克壁畫也被塗上了白漆。20世紀左右這批壁畫被人所發現，經搶修後精美的馬賽克壁畫再次重見天日。

館內的聖母瑪麗亞與耶穌像、耶穌的誕生等作品，雖然有些許損壞，但馬賽克壁畫總數量多達50餘幅。馬賽克壁畫也描繪了聖母瑪利亞的出生，這可是歐洲教堂少許描繪得的部分。最裡面一幅馬賽克壁畫則描繪了耶穌為了拯救亞當與夏娃，伸出手想握兩人，這幅馬賽克壁畫被評為是拜占庭藝術中的經典傑作。

The Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora (Turkish: Kariye Müzesi, Kariye Camii, Kariye Kilisesi — the Chora Museum, Mosque or Church) is considered to be one of the most beautiful surviving examples of a Byzantine church.^[1] The church is situated in Istanbul, in the Edirnekapı neighborhood, which lies in the western part of the municipality (belediye) of Fatih. In the 16th century, during the Ottoman era, the church was converted into a mosque and, finally, it became a museum in 1948. The interior of the building is covered with fine mosaics and frescoes.

The Chora Church is not as large as some of the other surviving Byzantine churches of Istanbul (it covers 742.5 m²) but it is an unicum among them, because of its almost completely still extant internal decoration. The building divides into three main areas: the entrance hall or narthex, the main body of the church or naos, and the side chapel or parecclesion. The building has six domes: two in the esonarthex, one in the parecclesion and three in the naos.

Narthex
The main, west door of the Chora Church opens into the narthex. It divides north-south into the exonarthex and esonarthex.

Exonarthex

Saint Peter mosaic

The exonarthex (or outer narthex) is the first part of the church that one enters. It is a transverse corridor, 4 m wide and 23 m long, which is partially open on its eastern length into the parallel esonarthex. The southern end of the exonarthex opens out through the esonarthex forming a western ante-chamber to the parecclesion. The mosaics that decorate the exonarthex include:

Joseph's dream and journey to Bethlehem;

Enrollment for taxation;

Nativity, birth of Christ;

Journey of the Magi;

Inquiry of King Herod;

Flight into Egypt;

Two frescoes of the massacres ordered by King Herod;

Mothers mourning for their children;

Flight of Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist;

Joseph dreaming, return of the holy family from Egypt to Nazareth;

Christ taken to Jerusalem for the Passover;

John the Baptist bearing witness to Christ;

Miracle;

Three more Miracles.

Jesus Christ;

Virgin and Angels praying.

Esonarthex
The esonarthex (or inner narthex) is similar to the exonarthex, running parallel to it. Like the exonarthex, the esonarthex is 4 m wide, but it is slightly shorter, 18 m long. Its central, eastern door opens into the naos, whilst another door, at the southern end of the esonarthex opens into the rectangular ante-chamber of the parecclesion. At its northern end, a door from the esonarthex leads into a broad west-east corridor that runs along the northern side of the naos and into the prothesis. The esonarthex has two domes. The smaller is above the entrance to the northern corridor; the larger is midway between the entrances into the naos and the pareclession.

Enthroned Christ with Theodore Metochites presenting a model of his church;

Saint Peter;

Saint Paul;

Deesis, Christ and the Virgin Mary (without John the Baptist) with two donors below;

Genealogy of Christ;

Religious and noble ancestors of Christ.

The mosaics in the first three bays of the inner narthex give an account of the Life of the Virgin, and her parents. Some of them are as follows:

Rejection of Joachim's offerings;

Annunciation of Saint Anne, the angel of the Lord announcing to Anne that her prayer for a child has been heard;

Meeting of Joachim and Anne;

Birth of the Virgin Mary;

First seven steps of the Virgin;

The Virgin given affection by her parents;

The Virgin blessed by the priests;

Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple;

The Virgin receiving bread from an Angel;

The Virgin receiving the skein of purple wool, as the priests decided to have the attendant maidens weave a veil for the Temple;

Zechariah praying, when it was the time to marry for the Virgin, High Priest Zechariah called all the widowers together and placed their rods on the altar, praying for a sign showing to whom she should be given;

The Virgin entrusted to Joseph;

Joseph taking the Virgin to his house;

Annunciation to the Virgin at the well;

Joseph leaving the Virgin, Joseph had to leave for six months on business and when he returned the Virgin was pregnant and he is suspicious of that.

Naos
The central doors of the esonarthex lead into the main body of the church, the naos. The largest dome in the church (7.7 m diameter) is above the centre of the naos. Two smaller domes flank the modest apse: the northern dome is over the prothesis, which is linked by short passage to the bema; the southern dome is over the diaconicon, which is reached via the parecclesion.

Koimesis, the Dormition of the Virgin. Before ascending to Heaven, her last sleep. Jesus is holding an infant, symbol of Mary's soul;

Jesus Christ;

Theodokos, the Virgin Mary with child.

Parecclesion
To the right of the esonarthex, doors open into the side chapel, or parecclesion. The parecclesion was used as a mortuary chapel for family burials and memorials. The second largest dome (4.5 m diameter) in the church graces the centre of the roof of the parecclesion. A small passageway links the parecclesion directly into the naos, and off this passage can be found a small oratory and a storeroom. The parecclesion is covered in frescoes:

Anastasis, the Resurrection. Christ, who had just broken down the gates of hell, is standing in the middle and pulling Adam and Eve out of their tombs. Behind Adam stand John the Baptist, David, and Solomon. Others are righteous kings;

Second coming of Christ, the last judgment. Jesus is enthroned and on both sides the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist (this trio is also called the Deesis);

Virgin and Child;

Heavenly Court of Angels;

Two panels of Moses.