The Book of Kariye – From The Chora Church to The Kariye Mosque

Known today as Kariye, the former Church of the Chora carries within its walls the layered history of Istanbul. Rebuilt across centuries, transformed after the Ottoman conquest and repeatedly restored, it preserves one of the finest surviving ensembles of late Byzantine art. Its mosaics and frescoes unfold the lives of the Virgin and Christ, scenes of healing and judgment, and the majestic Anastasis of the parekklesion. Architecture, marble revetments and sacred imagery come together here in a carefully ordered visual world. The Book of Kariye follows this remarkable monument from its early foundations to its present form, guiding the reader through every part of the building. Selçuk Eracun examines the inner and outer narthexes, the naos and the parekklesion, identifying the figures and interpreting the narratives, symbols and inscriptions that give the decoration its meaning. Drawing on art history and years of professional guiding, he offers an accessible companion for visitors and an engaging account of how faith, imperial culture and human memory shaped Kariye.