Yedikule Fortress, Istanbul |
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Yedikule hisarı or shortly Yedikule, being one of important architectural arts of Istanbul is on the south of city land water and under authority of Directorate of Hisarlar Museum in the same town. It is like the Bastille in Paris, or London Tower. It's first duty was to receive the combattants returning from the war, who passed below its Triumphal Arch. Like all Triumphal Arches, this monument had a high entrance in the centre, and two smaller arcades, one on either Side, that can still be seen. Naturally the large arcade in the middle was reserved for the emperor's use. It is supposed that the monument was built in 380 by Theodosius after his victory over Maximus. At present after the important restorations carried out by the Turks, Yedikule has the following appearance: From outside, that is in front of the walls and outside the city, looking from the road which passes directly in front, there is a cutting followed by a strip of land (second slope); built behind this by the Byzantines, on a low inclined wail, with two impressive marble columns, there is a gateway beneath an arcade resembling, with its cylindrical shapes and coloured arches, a model castle for children. The name of this gate is Altin Kapi, the Golden Gate, or Aurea Porta of the Byzantines. The reason for this name is not known. Perhaps on account of its inscriptions in gold, perhaps because it was the most beautiful gate of the city. Byzantine historians relate that there was a statue of Theodosius the Great at this gate, destroyed in the 8th century during an earthquake. A group of four bronze elephants and a cross were destroyed in the same way during the 9th century under Manuel II in another earthquake. In 708 Pope Constantine entered by this gate with great ceremony. According to usage and custom emperors returning from the wars entered the city by this gate. It is here that the men of state, the Greens and the Blues, and then the people came to receive the returning emperor. Behind, after a space of ground, were the real walls of the city and in the centre the Triumphal Entrance Gate of which we spoke earlier. With its two fortified towers, square in shape and faced with marble, rearing up before, it was a truly impressive sight. Today, as we pass beneath these arches, we feel ourselves carried back a thousand years into the past. The wall where the triumphal arch was, was the west wall. Behind, on the northern, southern and eastern facades, the Turks built three towers and a high wall and tranformed this gate into a fortress with an interior courtyard. Since with the towers already built by the Byzantines this made seven towers, the Turks called the place Yedikule ,the Seven Towers. The first tower behind the entrance was built on the orders of Mehmet II in 1468, after the conquest of the city. This fortress served later two different functions, quite opposite in their nature, but illustrating the small importance of human life - the treasury and the prison! Men who had fallen into disgrace were imprisoned here. Those condemned to death were beheaded here, and their heads thrown into the sea. The young Sultan Osman II, having tried to introduce reforms, was deposed by the janissaries in 1622 and assassinated here. When the Ottoman Government was at war without some other power, the representative of that power was imprisoned here. Entering by the town gate, you can find in the rooms and cells of the left hand tower writings in Latin and German inscribed on the walls by the foreigners who stayed here. Among these was the Russian Obreskow who was locked up in 1767 and remained there for many years, only to be released at the intercession of the French Ambassador. The Consul General of Yanya, Ponqueville, and later on the French Ambassador Ruffin knew the inside of these prisons but we do not know at whose instance they were released. The historical buildings past Yedikule in the triangular area between the rear of the city walls and the coastal road that goes to Sarayburnu are these : The classical mosque between the walls you see, when going down the country road parallel to the walls from Topkapi to Yedikule, belongs to Ibrahim Pasha. It was built by Sinan in 1551. It underwent a restoration in 1763. |
