The Great Palace of the Byzantine Emperors. Sights of Turkey - Grand Palace (Constantinople) Byzantine palaces

Constantinople was founded by the Roman Emperor Constantine I the Great in the fall of 324 on the site of the small city of Byzantium. Constantinople soon became the capital of the Byzantine Empire and remained so until 1453, when it was captured by the Turks and turned into the capital of the Ottoman Empire. After the capture of Constantinople, the Ottomans began to rebuild the city. The most significant Orthodox churches were converted into mosques, including the Hagia Sophia. Constantinople under the Turks changed its appearance greatly, and as a result, modern Istanbul bears little resemblance to Constantinople of the Byzantine period. We invite you to take a walk through the lost Constantinople.

Hagia Sophia, which has survived to this day, but in the form of a mosque, stood on Augusteion Square. She was named after Augusta Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine the Great. It was a vast quadrangular forum, surrounded on all sides by magnificent columns. Under Emperor Justinian I (527−565), the entire square, paved with marble, was surrounded by porticoes supported by double rows of columns. In the center, a tall bronze column was erected on a huge base of white marble. At its top, a colossal statue of Justinian I towered above the surrounding buildings. He was seated on a horse, holding in his left hand a ball topped with a cross. The right hand of the statue was commandingly extended to the east.

The Augusteion housed the most beautiful palaces and public buildings of Constantinople: the chambers of the patriarch, the library, the baths of Zeuxippus, the senate, and the praetorium. In the western part of the square, the so-called “Milia” rose, from which (as in Ancient Rome) the countdown of miles along all roads of the Byzantine Empire began. It was a tetrapylon (double triumphal arch) with a pyramidal roof, standing on four arches. In its center stood a marble column (Milius itself), on which the distances to the main cities of the empire were carved. Under the roof, next to the column, there were statues of Emperor Constantine and his mother Helen, facing east, holding a cross in their hands, as well as an image of the goddess Tyche behind them. After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople, Milium remained virtually untouched until the early 16th century, when it was probably demolished during the expansion of a nearby aqueduct and the subsequent construction of a water tower. In 1967-1968, during theoretical studies of the location of the monument and after the demolition of the buildings standing on this site, as a result of excavations, parts of the foundation and a fragment of one of the supporting structures of the Milia pillar were discovered, now on display in the courtyard of the Hagia Sophia. The modern square, located on the site of the Augusteion, is called Sultanahmet.

2 Grand Imperial Palace

The so-called “imperial road” began from the Augusteion, which led to the Halka, the main entrance to the Great Imperial Palace. The palace, located south of the Church of Hagia Sophia, consisted of many separate ensembles. The original core of the complex was the Daphne Palace, built by Emperor Constantine the Great in the 4th century near the Hippodrome and Augusteion Square. Then it expanded and strengthened through the efforts of other emperors - Justinian, Theophilus and Basil the Macedonian.

The large palace of the Byzantine emperors, instead of monumental buildings, had many small ones and was divided into three main parts - Halka, Daphne and the Sacred Palace itself. The Halka consisted of a number of rooms; They entered it from the side of Augusteion Square through iron doors that led to the vestibule. These vestibules, covered with gilded bronze tiles, consisted of a semicircular courtyard with a spherical vault rising above it. Directly opposite it was a square building with a dome, entirely decorated with mosaic compositions on the themes of the military campaigns of Emperor Justinian. The dome depicted the emperor and his wife Theodora, surrounded by a synclite and celebrating their triumph over the defeated Vandals and Goths. The walls and floor of the Halki were covered with marble slabs.

The Halq housed the Lichna Tribunal, a reception hall, a large ceremonial hall, several church buildings (the Chapel of the Savior and the Chapel of the Holy Apostles) and three guardhouses. The grand consistory was convened in the main hall, into which three ivory doors led. At the back of the hall, on a raised platform, one of the imperial thrones was erected.

The part of the Great Palace, called Daphne, began with a large covered gallery, in front of which there was an arcaded portico leading to an octagonal hall. This part of the palace contained many church buildings and halls for official meetings. A gallery running along the upper floors led to a small palace that occupied a place of honor in the Hippodrome. There were many chambers in this building, and the emperor dressed himself there in his ceremonial robes to attend the games.

Between Halka and Daphne was the Triclinium, a dining room in which official feasts took place. The hall was divided into two parts: one for the emperor, the other for the guests. The second part could accommodate up to three hundred guests.

The Sacred Palace contained the imperial palace itself. At the entrance to it was the Sigma atrium, so named for its shape, reminiscent of this Greek letter. Here the courtiers and high dignitaries awaited the emperor's appearance. Behind Sigma was a peristyle surrounded by fifteen marble columns. In its center stood a dome supported by four columns of green marble; they towered above the throne on which the emperor sat during the festivities.

The throne room of the imperial palace was the Chrysotriclinium (Golden Chamber), the construction of which is usually attributed by scientists to the reign of Emperor Justin II. In the VII-XII centuries. in the Chrysotriclinium, most of the court rites began, ended, or were completely performed. Here, the Byzantine emperors received officials every day and, more often than in other throne rooms, ambassadors and noble foreigners. In the Golden Chamber they were promoted to ranks and positions, feasts and dinners were given there, and the emperors’ exits to temples and other throne rooms began and ended here. The Chrysotriclinium was directly adjacent to the living quarters of the Byzantine kings and their families, and therefore was the most convenient hall for daily receptions of dignitaries and for performing ordinary ritual actions.

The Golden Chamber was an octagon covered with a dome, each face of which was connected by a wide arch to the adjacent vaulted room. The arch opposite the entrance was closed by two silver doors, on which Jesus Christ and the Mother of God were depicted. The eastern arch of the Golden Chamber was wider than the others and ended in a niche; in it, on a dais, there was a magnificent royal throne, on which the emperors of Byzantium sat during especially ceremonial receptions.

The other large throne chamber of the Sacred Palace is the Magnaur Hall, which itself was like a whole palace. In this hall, emperors gave audiences to ambassadors. In the back, on a raised platform that occupied the entire width of the building, there was a golden throne, in front of which on the steps lay two lions carved from gold. Behind the throne stood a golden tree, on whose branches multi-colored birds, skillfully made of gold and enamel, “sat” and “revealed” the hall with their joyful chirping. Above the low walls were galleries intended for the ladies of the court.

Over time, the Holy Palace was first abandoned and then completely abandoned by Emperor Emmanuel I Komnenos, who in 1150 chose Blachernae as his residence. All palace structures were gradually demolished after the fall of Constantinople in 1453. The majestic and richly decorated palace church was adapted into a gunpowder warehouse, which blew up in 1490. At the beginning of the 20th century, several fragments of the Great Imperial Palace were discovered - prison cells, burials and halls with mosaic floors of the 4th-5th centuries. Ekov. Subsequent excavations revealed a quarter of its territory. The discovered mosaics were transferred to a specially established mosaic museum. On the territory where the palace was located, Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque were subsequently built.

3 Hippodrome

The huge space to the west of the current Blue Mosque was once occupied by the ancient Hippodrome, built in imitation of the Roman Circus Maximus. Emperor Septimius Severus began to build the hippodrome back in 203, and then Emperor Constantine the Great added ledges, stands and other structures to it, and decorated the porticoes with statues. The length of the Hippodrome reached 400 m, the width was 180 m, and it could accommodate up to 100-150 thousand people at a time. Four huge doors opened at the end of the side walls; Besides them, there were also small doors opening onto the steps of the amphitheater. On the southern side, which sloped down to the sea, part of the Hippodrome arena was raised with high vaulted walls. It formed a semicircular part of the Hippodrome and was called the sphendone.

For the new capital, the Hippodrome was to become what the Circus Maximus was for Rome. But pretty soon its significance turned out to be great, and the Hippodrome began to play an important role in the public life of Constantinople. All the most important city events began to take place on it: here the people saw military trophies and captured kings, here the newly elected emperor first showed himself to the people, and then met with them. Above the imperial box rose a tower decorated with four horses, sculptured by the sculptor Lysippos.

In the center of the Hippodrome arena there was a narrow and long terrace (“Spina”), which was an elongated elevation around which chariots raced along treadmills during competitions. At the Hippodrome, each of the emperors left a monument to his reign, and the vast square soon turned into a wonderful museum, and the “Spina” was also a unique exhibition of sculptures and architectural monuments. On it stood the column of Emperor Theodosius, the Walled Column, the Snake Column, etc.

Among the bronze and marble statues of the “Back”, a man fighting a lion also stood out; dying bull; colossal Hercules (the work of Lysippos, the court artist of Alexander the Great); a wolf fighting a hyena; a wild horse, an eagle carrying away a snake, a little further - Adam and Eve, allegorical statues of “Abundance” and “Hunger”. There were also statues of emperors (Gracian, Valentian and Theodosius) on the “Spine”.

The Hippodrome arena was surrounded by 30-40 rows of stone steps on which spectators sat. The steps were arranged in an amphitheater, and above the last row, around the entire Hippodrome, there was a light gallery decorated with statues. The arena was separated from the steps by a moat - to protect spectators from wild animals, and also to prevent too violent disputes between hostile parties.

The Hippodrome was badly damaged during the Latin occupation (1204−1261), and after the capture of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453, the conquerors turned it into a quarry. The once majestic structure was literally wiped off the face of the earth. Currently, the remains of the hippodrome are located at a depth of four meters from the soil level. Only the ruins of the southwestern part of the sfenda are accessible for inspection.

4 Forum of Constantine

The Forum of Constantine is one of the forums of Constantinople during the Byzantine era. It was built around 328 when the city was founded by Emperor Constantine the Great. The Forum of Constantine was the first in a series of city forums located on the main street of the city - Mese. The latter connected it with the Milium, the Augusteion Square and the Great Palace in the east, as well as with the forums of Theodosius and Amastrian in the west.

At the forum there was the busiest and most expensive market in the city. There was a lively trade in furs, silk, linen, leather and clothing, as well as candles and horse harnesses. The forum was not only a gathering place for merchants and beggars - it also hosted a vibrant social life.

The forum had an oval shape: from the north and south it was surrounded by a two-tiered semicircular colonnade, and from the west and east there were two large monumental arches made of white marble, connecting the square with the main street of the city. In the left portico of the forum there was a chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built by Emperor Basil I (867−886) in the first years of his reign. Next to it they were selling church utensils.

In the center of the forum stood a large porphyry column 37 m high, inaugurated on May 11, 330, the day the city was founded. It was crowned with a golden statue of Emperor Constantine in the image of Apollo. In 1150, during a strong storm, the statue and the three upper drums of the column collapsed, and soon Emperor Michael I Komnenos erected a cross on top of the column. During the sack of Constantinople by the Crusaders, the column was severely damaged. In 1453, when the city was captured by the Ottoman Turks, the cross was thrown off the column. In 1779, after a severe fire, the blackened and cracked column was strengthened with additional iron hoops.

The Forum was decorated with numerous ancient statues: among them figures of a dolphin, an elephant and a hippocampus, statues of Palladium, Thetis and Artemis, as well as the sculpture “The Judgment of Paris”. Today it is almost impossible to determine their appearance or exact location. In 1204, they were all melted down by the crusaders who captured the city.

Now on the site of the Forum of Constantine there is Cemberlitas Square, in the center of which stands a preserved column.

With. thirty¦ When Constantinople was founded in 330, Christian art in Rome and the East already had a long history. All major cities had their own art schools and local traditions. Constantinople alone was deprived of these traditions. Created by the will of Constantine, it was forced from the very beginning to borrow from outside. There is reason to think that the main source of Constantinople painting of the 4th–5th centuries was the art of Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Ephesus and a number of other Hellenistic cities of the East. Here, by the 5th century, the basic principles of that “Byzantinism” had been developed, which a number of scientists recklessly associate exclusively with Constantinople. In fact, Constantinople found in ready-made form much of what later formed the basis of its own aesthetics. He inherited spiritualistic art with a pronounced dualism, carefully developed iconography that embraced the Old and New Testaments, mature mosaic, fresco and encaustic techniques, which made it possible to record a phenomenon not only in its linear, static aspect, but also in a purely pictorial, impressionistic plane , a rich fund of ornamental motifs, a refined palette and a developed system of monumental decoration. But the role of Constantinople was never reduced to slavish copying of other people's models. Very soon he moved on to critical selection, discarding everything that did not meet his needs. On this path, he gradually moved away from Roman traditions, which were dangerous due to their undisguised sensualism, reflecting the practical spirit of the Western Church. On this same path, he moved away from Syrian traditions, whose rough, expressive realism could not appeal to the refined tastes of metropolitan society. And on this path he joined the classicist traditions of Alexandrian art, which preserved Greek Hellenism in its purest form. Thus, Constantinople became his direct heir, logically continuing the line of his urban development. Overcoming popular influences, he carefully preserved from the past all those forms that were cultivated by the upper classes of late antique society. The spiritualized forms of late antique art were especially valuable to him. From all this complex amalgam of various intersecting currents, Constantinople created its own style, which first appears to us as something holistic in the 6th century, in the era of Justinian.

We do not know what was done in Constantinople in the field of antique painting in the 4th–5th centuries. Here the later mosaic floors in the northern and southern porticos of the peristyle of the Great Imperial Palace 60 come to our aid. Figures of people and animals arranged in the form of freely interpreted friezes are presented on a white background. (Table 6–10). Various episodes are separated from each other by trees, buildings, rocks, personifications (for example, the figure of a river nymph), which involuntarily brings to mind the compositional principles underlying the miniatures of the Vatican Scroll of Joshua. The entire floor mosaic is perceived as a huge carpet filled with decorative motifs. It is framed by a wide border of a succulent, purely antique type of acanthus, between the shoots of which masks, figures of various animals, fruits and flowers can be seen. When comparing the mosaics of the Grand Palace with the mosaics of Italy, France, Africa and Syria, one is struck by the variety and liveliness of the scenes depicted on it: there are various animal fights (lion with elephant, deer with snake, griffin with lizard, leopards with gazelle, wolf with ram, lioness with a wild donkey, an eagle with a snake), hunting hares, wild boars, lions and tigers, a mountain goat peacefully nibbling grass, milking goats, a herd of horses, children herding geese, a young mother sitting with a child on her lap, a fisherman with a fishing rod, Pan with Bacchus on shoulder, moschophorus, woman carrying a jug, circus games (young men roll wheels with sticks, skillfully going around the mark). Most of these images are traditional in nature and are found in the mosaics of the villa in Piazza Armerina in Sicily, as well as in similar mosaics in Antioch, Homs and Apamea. In 1953–1954, new fragments of the same mosaic floor were discovered, which depict two charming genre scenes: boys riding a camel (Table 11) and a mule, throwing its rider and bundles of firewood to the ground. One of the fragments also revealed a walled building with streams of water flowing from the gate. The mosaic of the Grand Palace is made of limestone of various types, marble and smalt (blue, green and yellow). The general range of colors, which is dominated by shades of red, blue, green, yellow, brown and gray, as well as white and black, is dim. The tradition of ancient colorism with its light and transparent halftones is still strongly felt in it.

60 K. Bittel. Archäologische Funde aus der Türkei 1934–1938. - ArchAnz, 54 1939, 182–183 (“Die Grabungen im Gebiet der Kaiserpaläste”); G. Brett. The Mosaic of the Great Palace in Constantinople. - JWarb, V 1942, 34–43; G. Brett, G. Martigny, R. Stevenson. The Great Palace of the Byzantine Emperors. Being a First Report on the Excavations carried out in Istanbul on behalf of the Walker Trust (The University of St. Andrews). 1935–1938. Oxford 1947, 64–97, pl. 28–56; C. Mango. Autour du Grand Palais de Constantinople. - CahArch, V 1951, 179–186; D. Talbot Rice. Excavations in the Great Palace of the Byzantine Emperors, - Πεπραγμένα τοῦ IX διεθνοῦς βυζαντινολογιϰοῦ συνεδρίου. I. Ἀθῆναι 1955, 468–473; Grabar. La peinture byzantine, 75–76; D. Talbot Rice. Mosaics of the Great Palace of the Byzantine Emperors: Last Finds. - ILN, 12 March 1955; Id. Les mosaïques du Grand Palais des empereurs byzantins à Constantinople. - RArts, V 1955, 159–166; D. Talbot Rice. The Great Palace of the Byzantine Emperors. Second Report. Edinburgh 1958, 123–160, pl. 42–50 (rec. K. Mango and I. Lavin: ArtB, XLII 1960 1, 67–73); Talbot Rice. Arte di Bisanzio, 55–56, tav. 38–41; Beckwith. Art of Constantinople, 29–30; P. J. Nordhagen. The Mosaics of the Great Palace of the Byzantine Emperors. - BZ, 56 1963 1, 53–68; D. Talbot Rice. On the Date of the Mosaic Floor of the Great Palace of the Byzantine Emperors at Constantinople. - Χαριστήριον εἰς Ἀ. K. Ὀρλάνδου, I. Ἀθῆναι 1965, 1–5. To date, not a single decisive argument has been given in favor of one or another dating of the floor mosaics of the Grand Palace. If we proceed from the logic of artistic development, then the most likely time for the execution of mosaics should be considered the end of the 5th - beginning of the 6th century. But when applied to Byzantine painting, we always have to take into account the possibility of very late outbreaks of Hellenism, which makes it extremely difficult to resolve the issue that interests us. This is why the dating of the Grand Palace mosaics remains controversial and requires further clarification.

The discovery of the mosaic floor in the peristyle of the Great Palace is of great significance for the history of early Byzantine painting. It indisputably testifies to two things: the presence of its own school in Constantinople and the vitality of the traditions of late antique impressionism on Constantinople soil. Although some of the graphic motifs of this mosaic floor reveal a close relationship with the mosaic floors of Antioch, North Africa and Italy, the quality of its execution is nevertheless incomparable. It amazes not only with the variety of motifs, freedom in conveying the most complex turns and movements of figures and the liveliness of facial expressions, but also with the finest pictorial modeling using small cubes placed with impeccable precision. Although the masters who performed the mosaics were With. thirty
With. 31¦ simple artisans, but they mastered their art so subtly that the figures they depicted seem to have been painted with bold strokes by real artists. For these masters, Hellenism was a living tradition, much more effective than for the rapidly barbarizing West. Apparently, Emperor Constantine, having founded the new capital, brought here the most qualified craftsmen from Rome and major Hellenistic centers, who laid the foundations for the local school. And since Constantinople was an eastern and not a western city, it naturally adopted primarily Hellenism of the eastern type. This, in particular, is indicated by the abundance in the mosaic of purely eastern animals (elephants, camels, lions, tigers, monkeys), which were exotic for the West.

In the absence of solid starting points, it is very difficult to date floor mosaics. They always contain so many craft stamps and traditional motifs, borrowed from widespread collections of samples, that the dating of the same monument often differs by several centuries. Thus, K. Bittel dated the mosaics of the Great Palace to the 4th century, J. Brett - to the second decade of the 5th century, D. Talbot Rice - around 530, K. Mango and I. Lavin - between 565 and 582, P. Nordhagen - to the era of Justinian II (685–695), J. Baxter - 8th century. The most likely time for the emergence of sex seems to be the second half of the 6th century. This is indicated by the general compositional structure of the mosaic, in which the principle of a separate figured plot dominates. The images are presented as separate parts of the frieze, due to which they are perceived as self-contained images scattered across a white background like decorative ornaments. The lack of spatial relationship introduces into the mosaic that element of abstraction that is typical of monuments of both painting and sculpture starting from the second half of the 5th century.

The floor mosaic of the Grand Palace is a chance surviving fragment of the secular art that flourished at the court of the Byzantine emperors. From it one can only get a vague idea of the richness and brilliance of this antique art. Unfortunately, not a single work has yet been discovered from church painting of the 5th century on the soil of Constantinople. The same two monuments that will now be discussed and which are associated with the territory of Greece can hardly be used to characterize Constantinople painting, since they gravitate in their style to a different circle. With. 31
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SACRED PALACE OF CONSTANTINOPLE

“Oh, how majestic and beautiful is the city of Constantinople! How many temples and palaces there are, erected with marvelous art! It’s tiring just listing all the various local riches, gold, silver, sacred relics.” This is how the chaplain Fulcher of Tabernacles, who was walking with the crusaders from Northern France, sang of Constantinople.

The city was founded by Greek colonists back in the 7th century BC, but then the Roman emperor Septimius Severus, after a three-year siege, took Byzantium (in 196 BC) and destroyed the city, however, it was soon rebuilt on his order. In 330, Emperor Constantine decided to move the capital of the Roman Empire here, which he called New Rome. However, this name did not stick, and the city began to be called Constantinople.

Constantinople was truly beautiful. Like Rome, it is spread over seven hills: its wide streets with open galleries, large squares with columns and statues, magnificent temples and palaces delighted everyone who visited it.

And among them is the Sacred Palace of the Byzantine emperors, which was also called the Big or Great. The sacred palace of the Byzantine emperors was usually called the collection of all palace buildings located to the south of the Church of Hagia Sophia and to the east of the Hippodrome. However, the court charter of Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus indicates only those buildings that were adjacent to or led to the Golden Chamber (Chrysotriclion) and were part of the complex of royal dwellings - as opposed to other buildings of the palace ensemble (for example, the palaces of Magnaurus or Daphne).

Presumably the ruins of the Sacred Palace could be seen at the beginning of the 20th century. Then, on the northern side of the city, where the Wall of Heraclius began, a Byzantine building of the 11th century rose.

True, at the beginning of the 20th century these ruins were already known under the name Tekfur-Saray - the Palace of the Palaiologos.

The sacred palace was first abandoned and then completely abandoned by Emperor Emmanuel Komnenos, who in 1150 chose Blachernae as his residence, a significant part of which was Tekfur-Sarai. Over time, the sacred palace fell into disrepair, became dilapidated and collapsed, and its remains were used for the construction of other structures. So the Turks who conquered Constantinople most likely did not even find traces of him.

The Great Palace of the Byzantine Emperors was a three-story building, but it was so much higher than the outer and inner walls of the city that its first two floors were equal in height to these walls, and the third was much higher.

Many medieval writers could not be amazed at the size and luxury of the huge palace: it alone with the surrounding walls occupied the entire space between the sea and the Hippodrome. The complex of palace buildings included gardens, chapels, courtyards, galleries, barracks, and housing for the imperial retinue and servants.

The large palace of the Byzantine emperors, instead of monumental buildings, had many small ones and was divided into three main parts: Halka, Daphne and the Sacred Palace itself. The Halka consisted of a number of rooms, and the entrance to it was through iron doors. This part of the palace housed the Lichna Tribunal, a reception hall, a large state hall, a large consistory, several church buildings and three guardhouses.

Between Halka and Daphne there was a dining room with 19 boxes, where official feasts took place. The hall was divided into two parts, which were illuminated from above: one for the emperor, the other for the guests. The second part accommodated up to three hundred guests, who on major holidays feasted lying down, as was customary in the ancient world. Food was served to guests exclusively on golden dishes, and fruits were in such heavy golden vases that the servants could not carry them, but simply moved them on carts.

In that part of the Grand Palace, which was called Daphne, there were many church buildings and halls for official meetings.

The Sacred Palace itself, from the outside, was built of brick interspersed with strips of light marble, and all the connecting rooms of the palace, the lintels of windows and doors, columns and capitals were made of whitish marble. The entrance to the Sacred Palace was through the Copper Gate. The residence of the Byzantine emperors itself, which contained many apartments and halls and was connected by several buildings to the Hippodrome, was located on the sea side. It included the Pearl Hall, the Oval Hall, the Eagle Hall and many others.

On the other side, the residence of the monarchs communicated with the palace of Magnavra through terraces and galleries; on the seashore stood the Bucoleon Palace, which was connected to the sea by an artificial structure through piers and a pool, to which a marble staircase descended. On the opposite hill there was a lighthouse, where there was an observation “telegraph” post established by Theophilus (according to other sources - Leo the Philosopher), which, using a special system of lights, reported news throughout the empire - from the capital to the borders.

The throne room of the imperial palace was the Golden Chamber, in which in the 7th–12th centuries most of the court rites were fully performed, began or ended. Here, the Byzantine emperors received officials every day and, more often than in other throne rooms, ambassadors and noble foreigners. In the Golden Chamber they were promoted to ranks and positions, feasts and dinners were given there, and the emperors’ exits to temples and other throne rooms began and ended here.

The Golden Chamber was directly adjacent to the living quarters of the Byzantine kings and their families, which is why it was the most convenient hall for daily receptions of dignitaries and for performing ordinary ritual actions. The king had only to leave his chambers, and he already found himself in the throne room, while other throne rooms were located quite far from the royal chambers, separated by several passages and other buildings.

Scientists usually date the construction of the Golden Chamber to the reign of Emperor Justin II Kuropolatus, who took the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus as a model for the throne room. This temple was considered one of the most elegant structures erected by the great king-builder Justinian I.

The Golden Chamber was an octagonal hall topped with a dome with 16 windows. On the eight sides of the chamber there were eight apses connected to each other. The apse opposite the entrance was closed by two silver doors, on which Jesus Christ and the Mother of God were depicted.

During ceremonial receptions, when people were just entering the Golden Chamber, the doors of this apse remained closed.

Then they dissolved, and the emperor appeared in the depths of the apse, dressed in a purple cloak decorated with precious stones. The assembled people instantly fell on their faces in awe.

The eastern arch of the Golden Chamber was wider than the others and ended in a niche in which, on a raised platform from the floor, there was a magnificent royal throne, on which the emperors of Byzantium sat during especially ceremonial receptions. There were also several simpler and less luxurious portable chairs on which the kings sat during ordinary daily and other simple receptions. However, even these simple techniques were given one or another degree of importance - depending on how the emperor was dressed and which of the side chairs he sat on.

In the eastern niche of the Golden Chamber, in addition to the throne and the royal chairs, there was an icon of the Savior, in front of which the kings prayed daily when leaving their chambers in the Throne Room and before leaving it for their chambers after receptions, expressing their humility and reverence for the King of Kings.

On the eastern side of Chrysotriclion there were several doors that led to the adjacent courtyard, which was an open area. These doors, like all the doors in the Throne Room in general, were trimmed with silver and therefore were called Silver. When the kings passed through them, both halves of them held two cuvicularia.

On the western side of the Throne Hall there were also doors through which newly baptized children were brought in, where the king and Christ were with them on Wednesday of Easter week.

In the center of the ceiling of the Golden Chamber hung a large chandelier, similar to a chandelier. Like other halls of the Sacred Palace, Chrysotriclion was illuminated by oil burning in the chandeliers. For example, during the reception of Saracen ambassadors, silver chandeliers were hung in the chambers, and the central one was decorated with precious carved stones.

The oil for lighting was in charge of the chief watchman and housekeeper of the Sacred Palace, under whose command (in addition to the assistant in charge of the royal ceremonial wardrobe) were several more removable dietarii. In the open courtyards (iliaks) around the imperial residence there were areas with fountains in the middle. These fountains were called phials; they poured quite a significant stream of water into large, magnificent bowls. The areas with fountains were very large in size, and during special holidays - royal receptions or horse races at the Hippodrome - they could accommodate a lot of guests.

On the southern side, the chambers of the king and queen adjoined the Chrysotriclion. Silver doors led to the emperor's kyton, and the chambers themselves were artistically and luxuriously decorated with magnificent mosaics and paintings.

The other large throne room of the Sacred Palace is the Magnaur Hall, which is designed in the same way as the other throne rooms. On the eastern side of Magnavra's hall there was also a niche, the floor of which was raised several steps higher than the floor of the entire hall.

The Byzantine emperors surrounded themselves with fabulous luxury. In the main hall of the Magnavra palace, during the reception of foreigners, all the treasures of their treasury were laid out - jewelry and formal clothes embroidered with gold.

In the depths of the hall there was the emperor’s golden throne, in front of which on the steps lay two lions carved from gold. Behind the throne stood a golden tree, on whose branches sat colorful birds, skillfully made of gold and enamel.

To the sound of the organ and the singing of the choir, the emperor appeared in golden robes and hung with jewels. To further amaze the foreign guests, the moment they entered the hall, the birds on the golden tree flapped their wings, and the lions stood up and roared dully. While the ambassador lay prostrate (according to etiquette) in front of the throne, paying honors to the ruler of Byzantium, the emperor, together with the throne, ascended to the top, and then descended in a different robe.

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The Great Imperial Palace (Sacred Palace) is a palace complex located in the 1st region of Constantinople, southwest of the hippodrome and south of the Church of St. Sophia.

It began to be built in 324 by the Emperor Great (306-337) and was opened on the day of the official founding of the Second Rome, May 11, 330.

Almost until the beginning of the 13th century, i.e. for almost nine hundred years, it was rebuilt and expanded. The maximum expansion occurred under Basil I the Macedonian (867-886), and the largest later erected structure was the New Upper Palace (10th century), united with Vukoleon by a single system of fortifications and becoming a citadel within a citadel.

Initially, it had the shape of an irregular heptagon (the shape of which later, during its expansion, was approximately preserved) bordered in the north by the Augusteon and the baths of Zeuxippus, in the west by the hippodrome, in the south and southeast by the slopes of the hills descending to the Propontid area of the sea walls, and in the east - city blocks. The entire territory was surrounded by walls with numerous towers, including travel towers. The Great Palace was connected to the hippodrome, the kathisma of which, in fact, was its integral part, and to the Church of St. Sophia.

Later, the role of its southern and southwestern walls began to be played by city sea walls.

The complex was an autonomous area of the city, intended for the residence of the emperor with his family, the palace garrison and service personnel.

The interior space was occupied by palaces, including: Halka (330), Sigma (between 823 and 843), Daphne (330), Trullo (IV century), Triconkh (between 829-841) , Bukoleon (between 419 and 450), New Upper Palace (before 967), Lawsiak (before 812), Skyla (330), Kamil, Mesopat and Musik (all three between 829-841 .), Eros (330), Justinian (694), Kenurgius, Pentakuvikl and Orel (all between 866 and 885); churches - St. Stephen (330), St. Theodore Tyrone (5th century), St. Agathia (IV century), St. Agathonika, which became part of the palace complex under Vasily I (330), Theotokos (Pharos) (IV century), St. Apostles (IV century), Archangel Michael (between 829 and 841), New Church (between 866 and 885), St. Elijah the Prophet (before 865), St. Peter; chapels, incl. St. Paul (between 866-885), St. Anne, palace (between 867 and 911), St. Clement (between 866 and 885) and others; gardens, the largest of which is Mesokipios (between 866 and 885), open artificial ponds and cisterns; outbuildings, service buildings and barracks. There were special courtyards for communication with representatives of hippodrome parties. Very often a new building or several new halls were added to an earlier palace. The names of the palace buildings could come from the names of the halls located in them (Daphne); or the name of the main hall in the palaces was named after the buildings themselves (Sigma).

In addition, the complex had: prisons - Khalka, Elephant, Numer and Vukoleon; Tsikanistr - hippodrome for polo - horse-drawn ball game; several baths; their own workshops; arsenal (Eros); pier (rock) Vukoleon and library.

On the territory of the complex was located Pharos - the city lighthouse (between 566 and 577), under Emperor Michael III (840-867) which began to serve as the final station of the light telegraph. For convenience, buildings and structures were connected by covered galleries or were surrounded by porticos. There were running water and sewerage systems with water for flushing sewage.

Palace buildings, churches, chapels, galleries and porticos, as well as the arches of a number of passage gates, were decorated with amazing mosaics, paintings, marble and colored stone. Stained glass, bronze, silver and gold were widely used in the interiors. The roofs of many buildings were covered with lead and gilded bronze. There were numerous intricate fountains in the gardens and courtyards. Exotic plant species were planted and exotic bird species were bred. In addition to open reservoirs, there were small ponds made of mercury in which replicas of waterfowl swam. The Grand Palace complex was filled with statues brought and brought from all over the empire.

The capture of Constantinople by the Crusaders in 1204 marked the beginning of the end of the Great Palace: the palace churches and chapels were plundered; metal statues, decorative elements and roofing were melted down; floor slabs, cladding and columns were broken out and sold to the West.

In 1261, after the liberation of the city from the occupiers, the complex, like the whole of Constantinople, presented a depressing sight. In practice, except for a few restored churches and buildings, the Grand Palace was not restored until the capture of the city by the Turks.

After the fall of the empire in 1453, the surviving churches on its territory were converted into mosques. The Turks also used some sections of its walls during the construction of Topkapi, the residence of the Sultan.

Currently, the territory of the Grand Imperial Palace complex contains several former churches in varying degrees of preservation, several ruins and a Museum of mosaics discovered during a few excavations, as well as isolated populations of exotic birds.

Türkiye, 28.05 - 18.06. 2013
Istanbul, 30.05 - 6.06. 2013

In 324, after victories in internecine wars, the Emperor of the Roman Empire Constantine the Great visited a small town of the empire - VizAntii.

Legend says that the city was founded in the Vll. BC e. Byzas - the son of Poseidon and Keroessa, daughter of Zeus. And the gods will not settle in a bad place. Byzantium was very well located - on the shores of the Sea of Marmara, at the intersection of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. The city controlled the Bosporus and, accordingly, trade routes from Europe to Asia and from the Black Sea to the Aegean. Being on the peninsula, Byzantium could easily defend itself.

Highly appreciating the strategic position of Byzantium, the emperor launched a major construction project here - building new palaces and temples, rebuilding the hippodrome, and erecting fortress walls.

Constantine became obsessed with the dream of creating a city, initially and entirely subject to him alone, which would symbolize the beginning of a new era in the history of Rome. It was supposed to be an unusually beautiful city with new architecture, a new ideology and, most importantly, a new religion.

With his spear, Constantine drew the future boundaries of the city. His retinue was amazed at the scale of his plan. In response, he declared: “I will go as far as He who leads me will allow me.”

Works of art were brought to Byzantium from all over the empire: paintings, sculptures, the best pagan monuments of Rome, Athens, Alexandria, Ephesus, Antioch.

On May 11, 330, Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to a city on the Bosphorus and officially named it New Rome, but for the soul - Constantinople .

The new capital was built on seven hills in the image and likeness of ancient Rome. But the emperors Byzantium and its architects surpassed the Romans by creating masterpieces of engineering.

The longest aqueduct of antiquity...

About all this and much more, read more...

The Romans and Greeks knew a lot about relaxation and entertainment. Theatre, stadium, hippodrome, baths are indispensable attributes of ancient Roman and Greek cities.
Construction Hippodrome in Byzantium it was started by the Roman emperor Septimius Severus in 203. In 330 - 334, Emperor Constantine, creating a new capital, completely rebuilt the Hippodrome.
The Hippodrome was one of the largest buildings in ancient Constantinople and the center of the social and political life of the capital. Its size was 450 meters long and 120 meters wide, the capacity of the hippodrome was 100,000 people.

Reconstruction of the Hippodrome of Constantinople

The Hippodrome was surrounded on three sides by Sfenda - spectator stands. The fourth side was closed by Kathisma - a large building with boxes for dignitaries and an imperial tribune. The Imperial Tribune was connected by a covered passage to the Great Imperial Palace, located next to the Hippodrome. Kathisma was crowned with a bronze Quadriga - four horses brought from Greece.

In the center of the arena there was a low dividing barrier 10 meters wide - the back. columns, obelisks, and statues towered on it, brought at different times from different parts of the empire.

We will not see the Hippodrome itself - it is hidden by a many-meter layer of earth, although its outlines are easy to guess. Only the obelisks of Theodosius and Constantine, and the Serpentine Column have survived. And also the southern part of Sfenda on a slope above the sea.

Snake Column was brought from the Delphic sanctuary of Apollo in Greece in 326 by order of Emperor Constantine the Great. The column symbolized the victory of 479 BC. e. Greek city-states over the Persians at Plataea.

In the original, this column, 6.5 meters high, consisted of three intertwined snakes and was crowned with a three-legged golden bowl, and the snakes themselves were cast from the bronze shields of the fallen Persians. One of the snake heads is in the archaeological museum Istanbul. In Byzantine times, the column was a fountain and had 29 recesses on a bronze base.

The column once stood on a hill, but gradually, along with the entire Hippodrome, it goes underground. That is, the ground level rises.

Egyptian obelisk or Obelisk of Theodosius was brought from Luxor in 390 by order of Emperor Theodosius l and installed at the Hippodrome on a specially made marble pedestal. The pedestal depicts various scenes with the participation of Emperor Theodosius and the scene of the installation of the obelisk itself at the Hippodrome. His age is dated XVl century BC uh., but it looks very modern. ABOUT It is made of white and pink Aswan granite, its weight reaches 300 tons.

On all sides of the obelisk are Egyptian hieroglyphs depicting the heroic deeds of Pharaoh Thutmose lll. In the original, the height of the obelisk was 32.5 meters, but during transportation it was shortened to 18.8 m (including the pedestal).

This pedestal scene depicts Theodosius on the imperial platform during the competition, with a laurel wreath for the winner.

Here the fans are holding scarves in their hands, the colors of which they used to support their teams and, accordingly, parties.

Openwork stone column of Constantine was built from stone blocks by order of Emperor Constantine Vll in honor of the memory of his grandfather Basil l. The original height of the column was 32 meters, it was covered with gilded bronze sheets. Now the height of the column is 21 meters.

Sfendu You can see the hippodrome by going down the narrow streets Istanbul closer to the sea. There is a building on it, and a cafe underneath it.

Numerous arches are built or used by local residents. The sphenda of the Hippodrome of Constantinople is almost 1700 years old.

Emperor Constantine the Great begins construction near the Hippodrome Grand Imperial Palace.

Grand Palace V Constantinople remained the main residence of the Byzantine emperors for 800 years, from 330 to 1081. It was founded by Constantine the Great, rebuilt by Justinian and expanded by Theophilus. The emperor's children born in the Porphyry Hall of the Palace were called porphyritic, or purplish-born. It was a title that could not be purchased or received as an inheritance or gift.

Galleries were added to the Palace, connecting it with St. Sophia and the Hippodrome. The emperor could go from the Hippodrome to Hagia Sophia without leaving his home.

Map from Wikipedia

At the beginning of the 20th century, several fragments of the Great Imperial Palace were discovered in a fire - prison cells, burials and halls with mosaic floors from the 5th century. Subsequent excavations revealed a quarter of its territory.

In 1953, at the site where mosaic floors were discovered during excavations in 1938, a small Mosaic Museum.

Mosaics of the Grand Palace scientists date it to the period of the reign of Emperor Justinian (Vl c). They are much older than the mosaics in the Chora Monastery and the Church of St. Sophia. The subjects on them are antique - harvesting, hunting, pictures from the series of animal life.

Here you can find leopards devouring an antelope, hunting a hare, a monkey picking a banana from a palm tree, a girl with an amphora, a camel with children on its back, milking goats and much more.

The images are made with great skill from colored 5 mm cubes of various types of limestone, marble and smalt on a white background.
Different episodes are separated from each other by trees, buildings, rocks, mythical creatures.

The entire floor mosaic is perceived as a huge carpet framed by a wide border. The richness of imagination, the ease of conveying the movements of people and animals, and facial expressions on people are amazing.

The paintings seem to be painted with an artist’s brush, the smallest details are conveyed. Even the background is not just laid out with a white mosaic, but in the form of scales.

The wall from the Bukoleon Palace on the south side near the Sea of Marmara has been preserved.

Bucoleon Palace was part of the Grand Imperial Palace, the seaside residence of the emperors Byzantium. The name comes from the statues of bulls and lions that decorated the local harbor. The surviving ruins were erected by Emperor Theophilos. There was a balcony on the wall from which the emperor could admire the sea views.

While building and strengthening the new capital, glorifying the Almighty, Emperor Constantine the Great did not forget about his beloved self, striving to glorify and preserve his name for centuries.

Forum of Emperor Constantine was located on the current Cemberlitas Square in Istanbul. There was a colonnade, statues of pagan gods and Christian saints, brought from various temples of the empire.

The central place in the forum was occupied by a majestic column with a marble capital on top. And on the capital was erected a golden statue of Constantine the Great in the form of the god Apollo with seven rays emanating from his head.

Reconstruction of the Forum of Constantine

Was fused into the statue nail from the Cross of the Son of God. The height of the monument was 38 meters, it was erected in 330 at the direction of Emperor Constantine and stood for 800 years, glorifying the first emperor of the great Empire.

According to legend, under the base of the column, the emperor himself walled up a cache of holy relics - an ax from Noah's ax, a crosshair of Moses, the remains of the bread of Jesus and "Palladium"- a wooden figurine of Pallas Athena from Ilion, previously kept in Rome.

The crusaders dug a tunnel under the column in search of holy relics. The relics were not found, and the foundation was damaged.

In 1779, a strong fire destroyed the buildings in the forum, and black stains from the fire remained on the column. The blackened and cracked column was reinforced with iron hoops, and its base with bandage masonry.

The Turkish name of the monument is Cemberlitash, which means Column with hoops, or Belted Column. Europeans call it the Burnt Column. The Column of Constantine the Great is almost 1700 years old.

As a result of large-scale construction Constantinople increased several times. The growing population of the city was sorely lacking fresh water - there were no sources within the city. Unlike other capitals, Constantinople did not stand on a river.

Konstantin planned a powerful city water supply, but this plan was already implemented by his successors.

The Byzantines built the longest aqueduct of those times. Spring water moved along it for 650 km. The water supply included underground tunnels, canals on the surface of the earth and many aqueducts. Recently, British archaeologists explored the route of the Byzantine water supply and discovered 19 aqueducts hidden from view in dense forests, some of them well preserved, only heavily overgrown with greenery. The ancient builders built to last for centuries and their buildings were distinguished by their beauty and grace, although they were located far outside the city, in a deserted area. Their aqueducts are more like triumphal arches - two-, three-level, with beautiful cornices, fine stone carvings, they are made as if they should have stood in the center of the city.

Aqueduct of Valens- part of this water supply. A two-tier trestle aqueduct, put into operation in 369, almost one kilometer long and 26 meters high. The city's busy highway, Ataturk Boulevard, now passes under it. Istanbul.

Through lead pipes laid along the top of the aqueduct, water flowed into the city until the middle of the 19th century.

Bringing water to Constantinople was the solution to only half the problem. Water had to be stored somewhere, but there was no place in the city. Byzantine engineers built an amazing system of underground reservoirs - cisterns. They were dug out in huge quantities - under palaces, churches, residential buildings and decorated very beautifully. Not like utility rooms, but like palaces - marble columns, high vaults, arches. The desire for beauty was in the Byzantines' blood. The Byzantines could not build without beauty. Everything they created had to be beautiful.

The largest of the reservoirs is Basilica Cistern (lV - Vl centuries) Construction of the cistern began under Emperor Constantine the Great and was completed under Emperor Justinian.

Entrance to the Basilica Cistern:

The dimensions of the underground structure are 145 by 65 meters, capacity - 80,000 cubic meters. meters.

The vaulted ceiling is supported by 336 columns 8 meters high, the walls are made of 4 meters thick fire bricks and covered with a special waterproofing solution.

Most of the columns were taken from various ancient temples, so they differ from each other in the type of marble and type of processing. At the base of two columns is the head of a Gorgon Medusa. It is unknown where they were brought from and which temple they belonged to before.

Column with scrolls. You are supposed to insert your finger into the hole, scroll and make a wish.

Nearby is a wishing pool where coins are thrown. Fish swim in large numbers, tourists feed them. Previously, residents of houses above the cistern fished without leaving their houses, through holes in the floor.

The cistern was actively used until the 15th century, then it was abandoned and heavily polluted. In 1987, the cistern was cleaned and a museum was opened in it.

Episodes of the James Bond film "From Russia with Love" were filmed here.

Next to the Basilica Cistern is a nondescript sandstone pillar. This Million Stone, mile zero of Constantinople, part of the Miliarium Aurelum gate, on which the distances to the most important cities were marked Byzantium.

Theodosius Cistern (420) - one of the underground Constantinople cisterns measuring 45 by 25 meters. The domed vaults are supported by 32 marble columns 9 meters high. Restored, protected by UNESCO, it is a museum, but is always closed.

Zeyrek tank (1118 - 1143) An underground reservoir, which is considered the third largest in Istanbul. Dimensions 50 by 20 meters. Closed for restoration.

The reservoirs maintained an adequate water supply to the city even in the summer, when the aqueduct provided very little water. Thanks to the system of reservoirs, the population of Constantinople grew to astonishing proportions for that time.

To be continued...