I’m not sure how much it was a matter of restoration, but this church has the most beautiful frescoes. I’m also not sure how much the church was used between the Ancient Roman period and the Renaissance period. Part of the ancient Hippodrome is now the bell tower?
It’s all about the frescoes, though!
The frescoes are so very bright, glossy, and very colorful. It’s as if the frescoes were just painted yesterday. My personal favorite fresco is of the scene of Jesus getting arrested and, in the lower right, Peter is holding a knife, and on top of a guard. (Malchus). I made the comment that the scene right after this one was more relevant, to me.
Sidenote:
(In Luke 22:49-51, Jesus performs the miracle of the reattachment of the soldier’s (Malchus’) ear. That would seem, to me, the equivalent of, love thy enemy?).
The frescoes in this church are very powerful and this church is a must see.