Constantine Column Cemberlitas Istanbul Pictures Information

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Constantine Column Cemberlitas

This column, which is on the Divan Road connecting Sultanahmet Square to Beyazit,
was constructed during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Constantine I in 330. The Constantine Column, which is known as the Cemberlitas Column, was erected to honor the transference of the city as the capital city of the Roman Empire to Constantinople.

For that reason, this column has a special place in Istanbul history. Before the column was brought to Constantinople by the Emperor Constantine, it had been located in the Temple of Apollo and bore a statue of Apollo on top. In accordance with pagan tradition, he carried a cross in one hand and a javelin in the other.

However, this statue was destroyed by lightning, and it was later replaced by a marble cross. This cross was removed during the Ottoman period, but the column was preserved. This column was reinforced by Sultan Mustafa II with iron bands to protect it from fires and other potential harmful effects, and it was renamed the "Cemberlitas Column." For centuries it has been said that there were relics belonging to Jesus Christ in a smail room at the bottom of this 35 m high monument.

THE COLD FOUNTAIN STREET

The Street of the Cold Fountain, which traces back 1,300 years, was named after a fountain built in 1800. The street, featuring a cistern and water reservoirs, constructed by the Romans, and old Istanbul houses, witnessed an intensiye restoration process in the 1980s. After the entire street was restored, many guest houses were opened. The Roman cistern is now in service as a tavern. All of the old houses on the pedestrian street were restored in traditional 19th century Turkish architectural style. Another significant feature of this street is that you can find unique books, thousands of which discuss the city during various historical periods.

THE MILLION STONE

Empires that ruled the city of Istanbul saw the historic peninsula to be not only the center of the city and the empire, but also the center of tbe world. One of the most prominent indicators of this is "the Million Stone' located across from Hagia Sophia.

This stone, which acted as "the beginning of Earth's roads was like a "zero point" during the Byzantine period. To that effect the main street of the Byzantine capital city, which is Mesa Street starts from this Stone, reach the city walls by furcating aroundvarious squares, and then opens up to the world.

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