On our third day in Istanbul we plan to visit the church museum of the Holy Savior of Chora. To get there we have the option of the bus 86 from Divan Yolu or simply take a taxi. This basilica is famous for its beautiful 14th c. Byzantine mosaics and frescoes considered to be the best in the region. As the church functioned as a mosque (known to the Muslims as Kariye Cami) during the Ottoman times, and the walls whitewashed, the mosaics were once again brought to life in the decade of 1948-1958 when the Byzantine Institute of America restored these precious works of art.
You may wish to spend a couple of hours in the intimate church museum of the Holy Savior in Chora. I chose a photo of a mosaic recreating a scene from the life of the Virgin based on Apocrypha. This beautiful scene is titled the Virgin caressed by her parents and is most delicately highlighted by splendid peacocks as symbol of immortality.