Byzantine Ruins of Fatih

Trace the colossal physical remnants of Constantinople that still stand integrated into the modern neighborhood of Fatih, from grand imperial churches to massive Roman water infrastructure.

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1. Fenari Isa Mosque

The Fenari Isa Mosque consists of two side-by-side Byzantine churches constructed in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. It is defined by its exterior of alternating bands of brick and stone, a classic example of the…

2. Column of Marcian

The Column of Marcian stands in the middle of a quiet neighborhood, topped by a weathered Corinthian capital that once supported a statue of the Emperor Marcian. It is carved from red Egyptian granite, sitting on a base of white marble…

3. Molla Zeyrek Mosque

The Molla Zeyrek Mosque stands out for its irregular, cascading brick silhouette, a sprawling collection of three former Byzantine churches joined together. Before the city fell to the Ottomans in fourteen fifty-three, this was the…

4. Zeyrek Sarnıcı

The Zeyrek Sarnıcı sits beneath a modern wooden platform in the Cibali neighborhood, identifiable by the brick-and-stone vaulted ceiling visible through the open spaces of the structure above. This Byzantine cistern held water for the…

5. Aqueduct of Valens

The Aqueduct of Valens cuts across the city with two tiers of heavy stone arches that span the valley between the hills of ancient Constantinople. Emperor Valens finished this water system in the late fourth century to supply the growing…

6. Kalenderhane Mosque

The Kalenderhane Mosque is distinguished by the massive, weathered brick arches of its central dome and the deep red masonry that sets it apart from the surrounding neighborhood. Originally built as the Byzantine Church of the Theotokos…

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