Walls & Gates of Constantinople
History
The walls & gates of Constantinople played a key role in the history of the city. It protected its’ inhabitants from various invaders over the centuries. The first Greek settlers built the city called Byzantium and its’ walls around 8th century BC. Then the Roman emperor Septimius Severus rebuilt the city in 203 and added the second walls. After 324, Constantine the Great expanded the city to the west and built the third walls. It surrounded an area of 6 km² and were about two km west of the Severan walls and city became the Empire’s new capital.
The final walls are called Theodosian, built in 412-414. The capture of Rome by the Visigoths in 410 that forced the Byzantine government to build a fourth wall.
These walls enclosed an area of 12 km, 12 m high and had 96 towers that were about 18 m tall. In 447, the walls were partly destroyed by an earthquake but more towers added to increase the defensive strength. The Theodosian Walls are now in various stages of preservation. Some are almost intact, some are crumbling, and some are undergoing restoration.
Gates of Constantinople
There are several gates in the walls of Constantinople. Some of them are ceremonial, others were used on daily basis by the public. In order, from south to north, these gates were:
First Military Gate
The First Military Gate (Pyle tou Protou), or Gate of Christ, named so because of the Chi-Ro Christogram inscribed on it, today known as the Tabak Kapi.
Golden Gate
The Golden Gate (Chryse Pyle, Turkish Altınkapi), was a triumphal arch from the reign of Theodosius I. This gate served an entrance into the capital. The emperors would enter the city after battle victories through this gate into the city. Behind the gate lies the Ottoman-era Yedikule Fortress. Since the main Gates were usually kept closed, a smaller gate exists after the fort, the Smaller gate (Mikra Chryse Pyle or Yedikule Kapisi) was used for everyday traffic.
Second Military Gate
The Second Military Gate (Pyle tou Devterou), the greatest of the military gates. Its is known today as Belgrade Gate (Belgrad Kapisi), after the Serbian artisans settled there by Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent after he conquered Belgrade in 1521.
Selymbria Gate
Also known as the Gate of Melantias (Porta Melantiados, Turkish Silivri Kapisi). This is where the forces of the Empire of Nicaea under General Alexios Strategopoulos entered and retook the city from the Latins on 25 July 1261.
Third Military Gate
The Third Military Gate (Pyle tou Tritou) is at the section known as the “Sigma”, today it is walled up.
Gate of Rhegium
The Gate of Rhegium (Pyle Regiou) or Yeni Mevlevihane Kapisi, also named Pyle Rousiou (“Gate of the Reds”), because it had been repaired in 447 by the demos of the Reds.
Fourth Military Gate
The Fourth Military Gate (Pyle tou Tetartou), south of modern Millet Jaddesi.
St. Romanus Gate
The Gate of St. Romanus (Porta Agiou Romanou), named so after a nearby church. In Turkish, it is called Topkapi. A big Cannon was used to bombard this part of the wall. There are stills marks of bombardment on the wall which were left by the giant cannon of Orban. It was the biggest cannon ever built and for the first time Constantinople’s defense was breached. It is here that Constantine XI Palaiologos, the last Byzantine emperor, was killed on 29 May 1453.
Fifthe Military Gate
The Fifth Military Gate (Pyle tou Pemptou), called Hujum Kapisi, the “Assault Gate”, in Turkish. At this sport, the decisive breakthrough was achieved on the morning of May 29, 1453.
Charisius Gate
The Gate of Charisius is named after a monastery founded here. In Turkish it is known as Edirnekapi (“Adrianople Gate”). It is here where Mehmed II (Fateh Sultan) made his triumphal entry into the conquered city. The walled up Fourth Military Gate of Istanbul. This gate stands between towers 59 and 60.
