Istanbul Tour in Balat Including Chora Church, City Walls and the Patriarchate

I recently made a three hour Istanbul tour in Balat, one of Istanbul’s oldest neighbourhoods. This part of town is a melting pot of immigrants, including Jews, Orthodox Christians, and of course Turks. It took me to the old City Walls, the Kariye Mosque (Kariye Camii or Chora Church) and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate. If you’re interested in Istanbul’s history from the late Roman times to contemporary periods, this is a nice excursion to make.

Istanbul Old City Walls

I found my way to Kariye in Edirnekapı, Fatih. But I didn’t go in yet. Since I was still fresh, I first walked a little uphill followed by a rather steep flight of stairs up the remains of the 5th century (and later) city walls. Although this climb is certainly not for everyone (there is no railing for instance), it is worth it. The view over the city is magnificent and what’s left of the walls — only one third of the original structure — is impressive.

Kariye Mosque (Chora Church)

After descending from the city walls, I found my way back to the Kariye Mosque, the former Chora Church. This site developed from a small chapel in a rural setting — Chora means ‘in the country’ — into a Byzantine church (11th century) with convent. Later, after the siege of Constantinople, the church was converted into a mosque and became a museum in 1950.

Luckily the interior of the church was pretty much left untouched after the fall of Constantinople. Even today some of the finest Byzantine mosaics and frescoes can be found in the Kariye Mosque, making it the most important Byzantine monument in Istanbul after the Hagia Sophia.

Since May 2024, Kariye is again a working mosque rather than a museum you can wander freely. Foreign visitors pay a 20 EUR entrance fee, and the mosque closes to tourists during each of the five daily prayer times (roughly 30 minutes each). Mosque etiquette applies: cover your shoulders and knees, women should bring a headscarf, and keep your voice down.

It was dedicated to Christ the Saviour. The interior of the building is covered with wonderful mosaics and frescoes, illustrating scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary. Also pay special attention to its unique construction, and the usage of marble.

Balat

After leaving the Chora Church, I walked downhill through the Balat district. First through the Jewish quarter, followed by the Greek quarter. Pay attention to the differences in housing, and a series of authentic wooden houses as well as several (closed) synagoguesThe Jewish Community and Notable Synagogues in Istanbul and churches.

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate

After half an hour I arrived at the seat of the Greek Orthodox Church. The church itself (19th century) is not that impressive, but the icons inside are. A nice ending point for my cultural three hour tour.