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Tag Archives: Istanbul
Requiem for a cosmopolitan dream
Attila did not seem surprised when I told him I was Greek. We were at the entrance of the Hagia Sophia museum on a rainy, cold December morning, and for the next hour, he would guide me through the most … Continue reading
Why we should be concerned about President Erdogan turning museums into mosques
Hagia Sophia and the Chora Church will remain “open to all”, Turkish government promises—but restricted access may not be the primary worry. An article from The Art Newspaper by Holger A Klein. Last Friday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey … Continue reading
Posted in Byzantium in the News, Istanbul
Tagged Balkan Wars, Chora Church, Constantinople, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdogan
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“Better Turks than Latins!” – The Aftermath and the New City
Mehmet had now achieved the goal that for centuries had been the sacred duty of the faithful to capture the Christian capital. Born during a plague that had killed two of his brothers, he was the third son of a … Continue reading
Posted in The Fall of Constantinople 1453
Tagged Aya Sofya, Byzantine, Byzantium, Constantinople, Emperor, Greek Orthodox, Istanbul, Mehmet, mosque, Patriarch, Sultan, Turkey, Turks
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BBC’s Chronicle – The Fall of Constantinople
Here is a little gem and a blast from the past. John Julius Norwich (who wrote the excellent and accessible trilogy on the history of Byzantium) tells the dramatic story of the fall of Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire, followed … Continue reading
The Fall of Constantinople 29 May 1453
Having said his farewells and taken the sacrament I would like to think that Constantine was at peace. He had done all he could and fought bravely with this soldiers and allies. He must have realised on that warm May … Continue reading
Posted in The Fall of Constantinople 1453
Tagged Alexius Comnenus, artillery, Byzantine, Byzantium, Caesar, Constantine, Constantinople, Emperor, Genoese, Istanbul, Mehmet, Palaeologus, Sultan, Turkey, Turks, Venetians
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The Final Hours and Last Eucharist
The fifth … We come now to the last hours of Byzantium. The defenders were weary after defending the city since April 5th. The Emperor’s hope lay with a relief fleet from Venice, but this had failed to appear. On … Continue reading
Posted in The Fall of Constantinople 1453
Tagged Byzantine, Byzantium, Chios, Constantine, Constantinople, Emperor, Genoa, Genoese, greeks, Istanbul, Mehmet, naval battle, navy, Palaeologus, Pope, Roman Empire, Romans, Sultan, Turkey, Turks, Venetians
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The Siege of Constantinople – An Update
The Sultan decided to concentrate his fire to achieve a greater effect. Remember some of his cannon were so large they they could only fire a round every few hours. He needed what modern commanders would call ‘concentration of effort’. When all cannon were in place the bombardment then continued unabated until the night before the Fall, that is for another forty eight days. Just think what it would have been like to live with the threat of cannon firing at your home all the time. Given that the citizens of Constantinople had never experience this before, you have to recognise how amazing the human spirit is to adapt so quickly in a fight for survival. Continue reading
Posted in The Fall of Constantinople 1453
Tagged artillery, Byzantine, Byzantium, cannon, Drake, Emperor, Genoese, Golden Horn, Istanbul, Mehmet, naval battle, navy, Ottomans, sailors, Salamis, seige, Spanish Armada, Sultan, Turkey, Turks, Xerxes
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If Only Constantine Had Employed Urban
The Byzantines called this Rumeli Hisar, or “The castle of Romeland”, which was a pretty good name as it was the medieval equivalent of the Sultan parking his tank on the Emperor’s lawn. Mehmet could do as he pleased and respected no treaties. Continue reading
Posted in The Fall of Constantinople 1453
Tagged Adrianople, artillery, Bosphorus, Byzantine, Emperor, Istanbul, Mehmet, Sultan, Turks
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Chora church frescoes ‘at risk’ after Turkish court ruling
The world’s finest example of Byzantine art— the 14th century frescoes and mosaics of the Chora Church in Istanbul, Turkey— are at risk. First published in Pappas Post. The mosaics— significant not only as art but as liturgical elements to … Continue reading
Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities by Bettany Hughes
The goddess is back with a remarkable history of our favourite city! Istanbul has always been a place where stories and histories collide and crackle, where the idea is as potent as the historical fact. From the Qu’ran to Shakespeare, … Continue reading
Posted in Bettany Hughes, Modern Books
Tagged Bettany Hughes, Byzanitum, Constantinople, Istanbul
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Turkey: Muslims demand right to pray at Hagia Sophia
Why can’t people just leave it is it stands? It has worked so far. Muslims in the Turkish city of Istanbul have gathered in front of the world-famous Hagia Sophia mosque which has been turned into a museum in the city of … Continue reading
Posted in Byzantium in the News, Istanbul
Tagged Constantinople, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey
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Exhibition of monoprint photographs based on Byzantine structures
Wonderful to be contacted by Joelle Imamoglu about an upcoming exhibition of monoprint photographs based on Byzantine structures to be held at Khas Gallery, Istanbul, between January 7th and March 4th. The photographer is Erhun Serbetci, the exhibition is curated … Continue reading
Shipwrecks found in Istanbul’s Yenikapı shed light on ancient ship production
Thirty-seven shipwrecks discovered underwater during the Marmaray subway construction in Istanbul’s Yenikapı shed light on ship production technology in ancient eras. First published in Hurriyet Daily News. An inventory of the types of wood used in the production of 37 … Continue reading
Byzantine Istanbul in 10 iconic monuments
Long before it was Istanbul or even Constantinople, the great city that is now Turkey’s undisputed cultural capital was Byzantium, the city on the Bosporus founded by Megaran colonists in 637 B.C. As the Roman Empire became larger and more … Continue reading
Byzantine Blog 
What Will Happen Now to Hagia Sophia’s Byzantine Mosaics?
Well. He’s done it. Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has pushed through his plans to annul the status of Hagia Sophia as a museum and turn it back into a mosque. We are all saddened. There is worldwide dismay and … Continue reading →