The Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayi) is
located near Haghia
Sophia, at the beginning of the Yerebatan
Avenue.
Byzantium was first supplied with water coming
from Thrace by means of a system of aqueducts
such as the Aqueduct
of Valens built in 375 and which still can
be seen between the districts
of Fatih and
Süleymaniye. When this water became unusable due
to the barbarian hordes (including
the Avars, the Huns and the Bulgars)
that threatened Byzantium and actually came to
the very foot of the city walls, a large number
of cisterns of different sizes in which rain water
could be collected were built. Most of the Byzantine
cisterns were not used any longer by the Ottomans
who prefered running water.
The largest and the most beautiful in architecture
is the Basilica Cistern built during the reign
of Justinian. It
is surrounded by a 4m / 13 ft thick wall made
of brick covered with a waterproof mortar.
This huge underground cistern, which covers an
area of 9,800 square meters, is 140m / 460 ft
in length and 70m / 230ft in width. The vaults,
made of brick, are supported by 336 marble columns
which
are 9
m / 29.5 ft high
and arranged in 12 rows. Each row consists of
28 columns placed at an interval of 4.90 m/ 16
ft. Most of the columns are topped with Corinthian
style capitals, and some others with Doric
style capitals. At the far end of the cistern
(northwest corner), two beautiful sculptures representing
the head of Medusa and coming from Roman antique
temples, are used as bases to the columns. Medusa,
a mortal whose hair had been turned into snakes
by Goddess Athena who was jealous of her love
for Perseus, had the power of transforming those
who looked at her into stone
by a mere glance. She was
one of the three Gorgona sisters.
Soft classical music and lighting effects increase
the strangeness of the place that the Ottomans
named the "underground palace". Not
very far, there is a dried underground cistern
called "1001 Columns Cistern" (Binbirdirek
Sarnici).
(open 09.00 - 17.00.) Map 2,
E 3
Column scupted as trunk of tree
One of the heads of Medusa is tilted to on
They seem to have been placed
e side while the other head is upside down.
deliberately in that way.
Haghia Irene, which is located in the first
courtyard of Topkapı
Palace, was one of the very first Christian
sancturaries in the city and was erected on the
site of a previous pagan temple. The church was
later enlarged by Emperor Constantine.
Like former Haghia
sophia which was connected to it, and as the
result of the Nika Revolt (nika was the people's
cry which meant "win" during the games)
against Justinian
in 532, the church was destroyed by a fire and
rebuilt later. Haghia Irene, which is a beautiful
example of Byzantine architecture with its original
atrium, did not undergo many changes as it was
not turned into a mosque after the conquest
of Constantinople.
The monument was used as a spoils and weapon warehouse
for a long time and became Empire Museum in 1869
and Military Museum in 1908, until it was emptied
in 1946 and restored. Today it is used for concerts
of classical and sacred music. Map 2,
E 3
SOME BYZANTINE CHURCHES CONVERTED INTO A MOSQUE
Küçük
Ayasofya camii (Little Aghia Sophia)
: ancient St Serge and Bacchus Church
is located at the end of Küçük Ayasofya
Road near the Coastal Road. The
architectural art corresponding to the reign
of Justinian
started with St Serge and Bacchus Church
(built on an octogonal plan between 527
and 536) which is considered to have been
the first step towards Haghia
Sophia. Map
2, F 3
Mollazeyrek camii, located half way
between the
Aqueduct of Valens and the Golden
Horn, was formerly called the Monastery
of the Pantocrator. The monastic complex,
one of the largest Byzantine monasteries,
was founded by Emperor John II Comnenus
(1118-1143) and his wife Irene. Originally
it comprised two churches, the Church
of Christ Pantocrator (the Almighty)
and the Church of Panagia Eleousa
(the Merciful), and between was the funerary
Chapel of St Michael where John, Irene
and other members of the Comnenian family,
were buried.
Their
son, Manuel I Comnenus (1143-1180) brought
from Ephesus the
marble slab believed to have been the Stone
of Unction, on which Christ's body had been
laid out before the entombment. When the
Crusadersseized
Constantinople in 1204, the monastery
was taken over by the Venitians who sent
the sacred relics, the valuable historic
icons and manuscripts, gold and silver vessels
to the Church of St Marco in Venice. During
the Palaeologan period, the monastery of
the Pantocrator became the centre of opposition
to the movement
of union of the Greek to the Roman Catholic
Church.
The churches and chapel, which are joined
by a common narthex and exonarthex, had
a lavish wall and floor decoration including
coloured marble coverings and mosaics. The
mosque is located in the larger and taller
Church of Panagia Eleousa.
From the nice terrace gardens in front,
there is a panoramic view over the Goldern
Horn, the Süleymaniye
Mosque and the Beyazıt Tower. Map
2, D 1/2
Eski Imaret Camii,
formely called the Church of Saint Saviour
Pantepopte (All-seeing Saviour), is located
in the area of Zeyrek. It was built in the late
11th century by Anna Delasenna, Emperor Alexius
Comnenus I's mother, who retired in the monastery
where she died in 1105. When the Crusaders
took Constantinople in 1204, the church was
consecrated to the Latin cult and most of the
relics where taken to Venice and to other Western
countries. Three of the five naves which composed
the church have remained and are preceded by
a narthex and an exonarthex.
Fethiye
camii, formerly called the Theotokos
Pammacaristos Church (Blissful
Virgin Church), is located at Fener.
A church formed by a main sanctuary was
built in the 11 th century by John Comnenus
and his wife Anna Doukaina. The church
was rebuilt in the early 14 th century
by Michael Glabas who added a side chapel
to the southeast as a burial place for
himself and his family. The finest examples
of golden mosaics dating from the 14 th
century can be seen here. In 1455, the
Orthodox patriarchate
was transferred here from the
Church
of the Saint Apostles, then moved
to St
George Church in 1586 when the church
was turned into a mosque.
Its Turkish name, meaning Mosque of the victory,
was given to commemorate Sultan Murat
III 's victories. While the main building
is still used as a mosque, the funerary
chapel which contains the mosaics is now
a museum currently open to visitors. Map
2, C 1
Fenari
lsa Camii
formely was the Monastery of Constantine
Lips, a monastic complex composed
of the Church of the Theotokos
Panachrantos (the Immaculate
Mother of God) built in 908 by Constantine
Lips, a high official in the service of
Leo Vl the Wise (886-912) and later of
Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus. South
of this church, the Church of
St. John the Baptist also called
St. John the Prodrome ,
and a small funerary chapel
which were added in the late 13th century
by Theodora, spouse of Michael
Vlll Palaeologus (1261-1282). This
imperial convent for ladies sheltered
numerous tombs, including those of the
Empress Theodora herself and of her daughter
Eudocia. The churches were turned into
a mosque in the late 15 th century. After
the fire in 1622 which severely damaged
the complex, the columns were removed
and replaced by large pointed arches,
and the roof and the two domes were reconstructed.
The buildings were damaged again by the
fire in 1917 and remained for many years
in a neglected state.
The
restoration work has highlighted the elaborate
brick and ashlar decoration in the east
side of the churhes, the fragments of
mosaics and the inscription on a golden
background related to Theodora, in the
Church of St. John the Prodrome. Fenari
lsa Camii is located in Fatih on the Adnan
Menderes Bulvarı. Map
4, E 3
11C Inlaid Marble Icon of St Eudocia
from Monastery of Constantine Lips
Istanbul Archaeological Museum
Gül camii is located in the Cibali area near the
Golden Horn. Old St Theodosia
Church was built in the late eleventh or
early twelfth century to honour the memory of
Virgin Martyr Theodosia. It is said that when
the city was captured on May 29, feast of the
Saint, the church was decked by roses, hence
its Turkish name Gül Camii meaning "Mosque
of the Roses". Another theory is that its
turkish name comes from the dervish called Gül
Baba burried here. Map 2, C 2
Vefa Kilise Camii formely was called St
Theodoroi Church. The exact date of construction
is uncertain. According to different sources
it was built either in the late 11th or early
in the 13th century. The church was converted
into a mosque by theologian Molla Gürani some
time after the conquest of Constantinople. This
small but charming edifice is a beautiful example
of Byzantine religious architecture and still
bears traces of mosaics, frescoes and sculptures
inside. Like
Kalenderhane
Camii, this mosque is located in the area of
Süleymaniye Mosque. Map 2,
D 2
Kalenderhane camii formely was the Church
of Theotokos Kyriostissa built approximately
in the late 12th century. The church is believed
to have been part of theearlier Monastery
of Christ Akataleptos built long before
under the reign of Justinian.
When the
Crusaders took Constantinople in 1204, the church
was consecrated, during some fifty five years,
to the Latin cult. A fresco depicting the life
of Saint Francisco of Assisi was discovered
in one of the side chapels. Beautifully restored,
it is now displaid in the Archeological
Museum. Some fragments of sculptures, mosaics
and paintings can still be seen in the western
part of Kalenderhane Camii. Like
Vefa Kilise Camii, this mosque is located in
the area of Süleymaniye
Mosque. Map
2, D 2
Bodrum camii:
the Church of the Myrelaion Monastery was built
in the early 10 th century by Romanus I Lecapenus.
Below the edifice is a crypt, almost repeating
the cross-in-square plan, which has given the
name of Bodrum (basement) Mosque. Outside is
the entrance to the remarkable circular cistern
or Rotonda (cannot be visited). Seventy of the
columns have survived. Several members of the
Macedonian and Comnenus dynasties were buried
in the monastery which was destroyed by fire
first in 1784, and in 1911 by the great fire
which ravaged the Grand
Bazaar and Laleli area. The church and cistern
have been restored in the 1990's. Map
2, E 1
The Valens Aqueduct's (Bozdoğan Kemeri)
construction was started by Emperor Constantine
but was only achieved by Valens in 378.
It was used to provide the Byzantine cisterns
and palaces (and later Topkapı
Palace) with water coming from the surrounding
hills. Its initial length was about 1 km
/ 0.62 miles and it stretched from Fatih
Mosque to the actual Beyazıt University.
The aqueduct was damaged and restored many
times. Map
2, D 1
