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Kariye is located at Edirnekapi section of Istanbul. The
dictionary meaning of Kariye (Chora) is "outside of the city",
or "rural" in old Greek. The existence of a chapel outside the
city walls in very old is mentioned in some sources. The first
Chora Church was built on the site of this chapel by Justinian.
The building which managed to survive until the times of the
Commenos with various additions and repairs, gained importance
when the Imperial Palace Blakhernia near the city walls was
expanded. At the end of 11th century Maria Dukaina, the mother-in-law
of Emperor Alexi I had it rebuild. The church has a ciborium
shaped space whose dome is carried by four arches. During the
Latin occupation of 1204 - 1261, both the monastery and the
church became extremely run down. During the reign of Andronikos
(1282 - 1326), one of the prominent names of the day, the writer,
poet and the minister of treasury Theodore Methocite had the
monastery and the church repaired towards 1313, and had an annex
to the north of the building, an outer narthex to the west and a
chapel (Parekklesion) to the south. These new additions were
decorated with frescoes and mosaics. Parekklesion, which is a
long single naved chapel going along the southern facade, is
built above a basement floor. It is partially covered with a
dome and the remaining sections are covered by vaults. It has a
single abscissa. The outer narthex which runs along the full
western facade forms the present facade. The northern wing is
only an insignificant corridor. The central dome has a high drum.
It is a Turkish period restoration and is made of wood. Outer
facades are given plasticity and movement with round arches,
half braces, niches and rows of stone and brick. The eastern
facade is finished with abscissa extending to the exterior. The
middle abscissa is supported with a half arched brace.
The building was used as a church after the conquest of Istanbul
but was converted into a mosque in 1511 by the Vizier Grand
Hadim Ali Pasha, who later added a school and a alms kitchen
next to it. After the conversion, the mosaics and frescoes were
covered, sometimes by wooden blinds and sometimes by
whitewashing over them. All the mosaics and frescoes were
uncovered with the work carried out by the American Institute of
Byzantine Research between 1948 - 1958.
Chora mosaics and frescoes are the most beautiful examples of
the last period of Byzantine art (14th century). They show a
striking similarity. The monotonous background of the former
period cannot be seen here. The concept of depth, recognition of
the plasticity and movement of the figures and the elongation in
the figures are the characteristic of this style. Scenes from
life of Jesus are given on the outer narthex while the inner
narthex has scenes from the life of Madonna. On the portal of
the door joining the outer to the inner narthex, there is Christ
the "Pantocrator". On the left the scenes depict the birth of
Jesus, population census being carried out under the supervision
of Governor Cyrinus, the angel telling Joseph to leave taking
Mary with him, the multiplication of loaves of bread, water
turning to wine and on the right side scenes such as messenger
kings informing about the birth of Christ, healing of the stroke
victims and the massacre of children.
The most beautiful mosaic on the inside is Diesis. There is
Jesus in the center with Mary on the left, below Mary, Isaac
Commenus and a nun on the right of Jesus. This woman is the
daughter of the Mikhael Palaiologos VIII. She was married to the
Mongolian Prince Abaka Khan and following her husband's death
returned to Istanbul and became a member of a religious order.
In this section, under the dome there is Jesus and his ancestors
are shown in the segments. On the portal of the church proper,
there is Christ in the middle and on the left Theodoros
Metochites who has restored the church and adorned it with the
mosaics presenting a model of the church.
The life story of Mary, which is not included in the Bible is
taken from subjects based on the Apostles. At the inner narthex
the scenes about Mary can be followed depicting her birth, her
first steps, Gabriel telling her that she shall have a child,
Mary buying wool for the tabernacle and others. Mosaic above the
inner portal of the entrance to the main church depicts the
death of the Virgin, Madonna bearing the child Jesus and a
Saint. Parekklesion is totally decorated with frescoes. The
Anastasia (rebirth) scene seen on the abscissa is a masterpiece.
The last judgment above it is shown here in full. It is known
that the niche on the right and left sides of the Parekklesion
are graves. On the dome of the Parekklesion there is Mary and
the child Jesus and 12 in the segments. |
