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Chora Museum - Chora Church is the
most beautiful Byzantine church after Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. It
has frescoes and mosaics that reflect the magnificient heritage of
Byzantine Art. The Chora Church Museum is open every day from 9 a.m
to 4:30 p.m except Wednesday.
The word "Chora" means "in the country" in Greek because of the
original church which was outside the city walls. There are no
remains left from the original church and the first form of the
present structure dates back to 11C. The church was founded by Maria
Doukaina, mother-in-law of Alexius Comnenos I between 1077-1081.
Today's church was constructed after two centuries, the walls were
revetted with superb mosaics and a pareclession was added decorated
with beautiful frescoes. The founder of the church Theodore
Metochite built the paracclesion for himself and was built in the
entrance of the church.
The church consists of the nave, the inner narthex, outer narthex
and the paracclesion. The domes of the inner narthex and the
paracclesion are lower than the main dome and are only seen from the
rear of the church. The drum is supported on four huge pilasters in
the corners and four great arches spring from these. The transition
is supplied by pendentives. The drum has 16 flutes, each pierced by
a window. Entrance to the nave is through both inner and outer
narthexes. The niches in the paracclesion were built to keep
sarcophagi, as this section was the funerary chapel.
In the mosaics, the lives of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary are
depicted. Background elements and architectural motifs are
highlighted to give depth. The scenes are realistic as if they were
taken from daily life with figures correctly proportioned. Jesus has
a humanitarian look upon his face.
Mosaics of major importance are as follows:
Nave; (1) Koimesis, the Dormition of the Virgin. Before ascending to
Heaven, her last sleep. Jesus is holding an infant, symbol of Mary's
soul; (2) Jesus Christ; (3) The Virgin Mary.
Inner Narthex; (4) The Enthroned Christ with the Donor, Theodorus
Metochitus offering a model of his church; (5) St. Peter; (6) St.
Paul; (7) Deesis, Christ and the Virgin Mary (without St. John the
Baptist) with two donors below; (8) Genealogy of Christ; (9)
Religious and noble ancestors of Christ.
The mosaics in the first three bays of the inner narthex give an
account of the Virgin's birth and life. Some of them are as follows:
(10) Rejection of Joachim's offerings; (11) Annunciation of St.
Anne, the angel of the Lord announcing to Anne that her prayer for a
child has been heard; (12) Meeting of Joachim and Anne; (13) Birth
of the Blessed the Virgin; (14) First seven steps of the Virgin;
(15) The Virgin caressed by her parents; (16) The Virgin blessed by
the priests; (17) Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple; (18) The
Virgin receiving bread from an Angel; (19) The Virgin receiving the
skein of purple wool, as the priests decided to have the attendant
maidens weave a veil for the Temple; (20) Zacharias praying, when it
was the time to marry for the Virgin, High Priest Zacharias called
all the widowers together and placed their rods on the altar,
praying for a sign showing to whom she should be given; (21) The
Virgin entrusted to Joseph; (22) Joseph taking the Virgin to his
house; (23) Annunciation to the Virgin at the well; (24) Joseph
leaving the Virgin, Joseph had to leave for six months on business
and when he returned the Virgin was pregnant and he became angry.
Here it continues not chronologically: (42-44) Miracles.
Outer Narthex; (25) Joseph's dream and Journey to Bethlehem; (26)
Enrollment for taxation; (27) Nativity, birth of Christ; (28)
Journey of the Magi; (29) Inquiry of Herod; (30) Flight into Egypt;
(31-32) Massacres ordered by Herod; (33) Mothers mourning for their
children; (34) Flight of Elizabeth, mother of St. John the Baptist;
(35) Joseph dreaming, Return of the holy family from Egypt to
Nazareth; (36) Christ taken to Jerusalem for the Passover; (37) St.
John the Baptist bearing witness to Christ; (38) Miracle; (39-41)
Miracles.
(45) Jesus Christ; (46) The Virgin and Angels praying.
Paracclesion; The pictures here are frescoes. This chapel was
designed to be a burial place. Among the major frescoes in the
paracclesion are as follows: (47) Anastasis, the Resurrection.
Christ, who had just broken down the gates of Hell, is standing in
the middle and trying to pull Adam and the Virgin Mary out of their
tombs. Behind Adam stand St. John the Baptist, David and Solomon.
Others are righteous kings; (48) The Second coming of Christ, the
last judgment. Jesus is enthroned and on both sides the Virgin Mary
and St. John the Baptist (this trio is also called the Deesis); (49)
The Virgin and Child; (50) Heavenly Court of Angels; (51-52) Moses.
After the arrival of the Turks in Istanbul, this building, like the
Hagia Sophia, was converted into a mosque. In 1948 it was made a
museum leaving no Islamic element in the building except the 19C
minaret outside in the corner.
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