FROM MESE TO DVANYOLU: SQUARES
AND MONUMENTS OF ISTANBUL
Istanbul was laid out along 2
main roads in the Byzantine Period. One of them was Kardo which ran between
Golden Horn and the harbours along the shoes of Sea of Marmara. The other was
Mese, connecting the 7 squares of Byzantium Kardo was the commercial route as
it connected the harbours, while Mese had a more important function. As
Byzantium was regarded as the centre of the world, all roads leading to
different parts of the world were assumed to start from Istanbul and their
first metres were on the Mese. Emperors leaving for a war or returning
victorious passed under the Altinap (Golden Gate-Porte Aurea) , which was on
the city walls where Mese passed through at a place near present day Yedikule.
On this through fare various
Byzantine emperors built squares bearing their names and decorated them with
monuments. Although these squares, located at equidistance, couldn’t survive to
the present day, some of the monuments are still extant.
This important road of the
Byzantine Period was not neglected during the Ottoman Period and continued to
be used. It only changed its identity, together with the rest of the town and
was renamed as Divanyolu which literally means the road to the court. The road
took this name because the viziers attending to the Divan (Imperial Court)
sessions at Topkapi Palace used that road on leaving the palace meetings.
Despite the name changed its fate remained the same: rebels used the route to
storm the palace and many were executed along it. In short, the road has
witnessed the history of Istanbul.
The first square along the
road was the AGUSTEION SQUARE, today known as Sultanahmet Square During the
Roman Period and its continuation, the Byzantine Period, the squares or forums
were surrounded by the Great Palace, the Hippodrome and Ayasofya, the most
important monuments of the past o have survived to our day.
The MILLION STONE
was regarded as the starting point of all destinations when Istanbul was
considered to be the centre of the world. Although it is an unassuming broken
column near the Yerebatan Cistern that fails to attract the attention of
passersby at present, it was the starting point of all roads in the Byzantine
Period.
The road called Mese in
Byzantine Period and Divanyolu in Ottaman Period was approximately on the same
route with today’s tram line. By following the tram line the other squares can
be reached. As this route played an interesting role in the Ottoman Period, to
follow its course enables visitors to see some important Ottoman buildings. The
first building is the Firuz Agha Mosque, which is located to the left to the
road.
This is one of the oldest
mosques in Istanbul and was completed in 1491. Contrary to other mosques with
single minarets, its minaret is on the left hand side.
A bit further on to your right
is the Kizlaragasi Mehmet Agha Madrash . When Cemberlitas appears on your
sight, you are in danger of focusing on it and missing other important
buildings, so beware. First of these is the Tomb of Sultan Mahmut II that was
built in 1840.In the tomb are the graves of Sultans Mahmut II, Abdulazz and
Abdulhamit II, who ruled during the last period of the Ottoman Empire.
The second square after the
Augusteion Square is the Forum of Constantine and at present the Cemberlitas
(Column of Constantine or Burnt Column) stands as a silent reminder. In the
Byzantine Period, the Roman tradition of erecting columns for the emperors
continued. The Forum of Constantine who made Byzantium the capital of the
empire and it was decorated with statues and monuments.
The bronze statues were
melted down during the Latin occupation. On top of the Cemtberlitas, a statue
of Constantine used to stand. However it fell down in a devastating storm ad
killed many passersby. The porphyry stones making up the shaft of the column
were gradually cracked and to prevent disintegration the column was secured by
putting iron rings around it at regular intervals and gradually its name came
to be known as Cemberlitas (the ringed stone). Rumours have it that there was a
chapel under the Cemberlitas and parts of the cross used for crucifixion of
Christ were buried there. According to the rumour the column was built there to
protect the entrance to the chapel. Many people tried to dig tunnels to find
the holy cross, but none of them was successful.
At the FORUM OF THEODOSIUS (BEYAZIT
SQUARE) the Mese road divided into 2 branches. One of the branches continued
towards today’s Aksara and led to Yedikule and Altinkapi and the other branch
to the present day Edirnekapi. If you leave the tram line and follow the road
towards Edirnekapi you will find 2 more forums. The first is the FORUM OF PHILADELPHIION
at Sehzadebasi, though there are no remains from this forum today.
The next form is the FORUM OF
AMSERIANON, which was situated on the site of present day Iskenderpasa Square
in Faith District where the Column of Marcian known in Turkish as the Kiztasi (Maiden
Stone) still stands. The Turkish name is associated with the reliefs on its
base which led to many tales about the column. One of them s about a maiden who
was carrying a stone block for the construction of Ayasofya when she was
deceived by a genie to shift the stone there When she realized mistake she was
unable to move it.
Another romour refers to the magical nature of the column
which bends forwards to reveal the maidens who are not virgins. In reality the
column was erected in 455AD for Emperor Marcian and the reliefs were actually
depictions of Nike, the goddess of victory. The column most probably of
victory. The column most probably related one of the victories of the emperor
or wished him success in a battle. The bronze statue of Marcian was looted and
taken back to Europe in 13th century, as happened to many monuments
in Istanbul.
