Kariye Mosque

The Kariye Mosque features a series of cascading domes and exterior walls built from alternating bands of brick and stone. Originally known as the Church of the Holy Savior in Chora, this structure dates back to the eleventh century. Inside, the walls hold an extensive cycle of Byzantine mosaics and frescoes, restored during the early twentieth century by the Byzantine Institute of America. These artworks escaped destruction by being covered in plaster for centuries after the building became a mosque in the sixteenth century.