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Chora Museum vs Beylerbeyi Palace

Both are rated highly by expert reviewers. Overall, Kariye Museum scores significantly higher than Beylerbeyi Palace. Kariye Museum has a TripExpert Score of 87 with endorsements from 6 reviewers including Travel + Leisure, Concierge and Let's Go.

Chora Museum
Chora Museum
9 / 10
Kariye Camii Sokak,No:26 Edirnekapi, Istanbul 34087, Turkey
From $0 /night
Fodor's Fodor's
"The dazzling mosaics and frescoes in the former Church of the Holy Savior in Chora are considered to be among the finest Byzantine artworks in the world." Full review
Concierge Concierge
"Tucked away in a far corner of the Old City, just by the Edirnekapı gate, is the tiny Kariye Museum, also known as the Chora Church."
Lonely Planet Lonely Planet
Top Choice
"İstanbul has more than its fair share of Byzantine monuments, but few are as drop-dead gorgeous as the Chora Church." Full review
Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
"This pumpkin-domed church-turned-museum is one of the great surviving jewels of Byzantine art and architecture." Full review
Let's Go Let's Go
"Chora Church requires some serious ceiling-gazing, cramp-in-the-neck-calming skills—you’ll find some of the most beautiful surviving Byzantine art on the domes above your head." Full review
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Beylerbeyi Palace
Beylerbeyi Palace
8 / 10
Abdullah Aga Caddesi, Istanbul, Turkey
From $0 /night
Lonely Planet Lonely Planet
Top Choice
"Under the bridge on the European shore is the green-and-cream-coloured Balyan Usta Yalı , built in the 1860s by architect Sarkis Balyan." Full review
Michelin Guide Michelin Guide
2 Stars
"This palace is one of the architectural fantasies of the last sultans."
Fodor's Fodor's
"Like a mini-Dolmabahçe that incorporates a similarly eclectic mix of European and Turkish styles but is smaller, less grandiose, and has more of a personal feel." Full review
Michelin Guide Michelin Guide
2 Stars
"This former summer palace, clad in marble and surrounded by gardens, was built in 1865 for the Sultan Abdülaziz (1830-1876) and hosted guests such as Empress Eugénie of France." Full review
Afar Magazine Afar Magazine
"Beylerbeyi Palace (Beylerbeyi Sarayı)This beautiful 19th-century palace on the Asian shoreline near the First Bosphorus Bridge served as a summer retreat for sultans and visiting dignitaries." Full review
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