The Column Of Constantine Cemberlitas

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Native Name: Çemberlitaş sütunu

The Column of Constantine was constructed in 330 A . D by the roman emperor Constantine the Great . It commemorates the declaration of Byzantium as being the new capital city of the Roman Empire . The column is located on Yeniçeriler Caddesi in central Istanbul , along the old Divan Yolu (the 'Road to the Imperial Council') between Sultanahmet and Beyazıt Square .

At the time of its construction , the column was located at the center of the Forum of Constantine (known today as Çemberlitaş Square) which was an oval forum situated outside the city walls in the vicinity of what may have been the west gate of Antoninia . The column was 50 meters high at that time , and was consisting of nine cylindrical porphyry blocks topped by a statue of Constantine in the figure of Apollo . The statue was carrying an orb which was said to contain a fragment of the True Cross . At the base of the column , there was a sanctuary which contained relics which is said to be from the crosses of the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus Christ at Calvary , the baskets from the loaves and fishes miracle , an alabaster ointment jar belonging to Mary Magdalene , and was used by her for the washing of the feet of Jesus , the palladium of ancient Rome and a wooden statue of Athena from Troy .

In 1106 AD , a strong storm caused the fall of the statue and three of the upper cylinders of the column . After some years , Byzantine emperor Manuel I Komnenos (1143-1180) placed a cross on top of the column in place of the original statue . He also added an inscription that reads "Faithful Manuel invigorated this holy work of art which has been damaged by time . " There were bronze wreaths covering the joints between the drums , but they were taken by the Latin Crusaders who looted the city in 1204 , during the Fourth Crusade . In 1453 , the cross was removed by the Ottoman Turks after the Conquest of Constantinople .

In 1779 , earthquakes and a fire destroyed the area surrounding the column leaving black scorch marks on the column and lending it the name 'Burnt Column' . Abdülhamid I then restored the column and the present masonry base was added to it . The base of the original platform was 2 . 5 meters below ground and it was further strengthened in 1779 .

The Column is considered one of the important examples of Roman art in the city of Istanbul . It measures 35 meters tall today . Cracks in the column surface were filled and the metal brackets were renewed in 1972 . Since 1985 , monuments in the historic peninsula of Istanbul , including the column , have been listed as a World Heritage Site . Lately , in 2007 , the column has been restored by the Istanbul Municipality and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism .