Istanbul) and Its Surroundings During the Late Antiquity and Middle Ages
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ITU A|Z • Vol 17 No 3 • November 2020 • 13-30 An interdisciplinary experiment for the urban morphology of Galata (Istanbul) and its surroundings during the Late Antiquity and Middle Ages Hasan Sercan SAĞLAM [email protected] • Research Center for Anatolian Civilizations (ANAMED), Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey Received: January 2020 • Final Acceptance: March 2020 Abstract During its Byzantine times, Galata was the 13th region of Constantinople, once the illustrious imperial capital now called Istanbul. This part of modern Beyoğlu especially came to the forefront with its prosperous Genoese period, which lasted between 1267-1453. Although Galata had a significant urban and architectural development during that period, there are solid evidence and recent discoveries regarding the phenomenon of spatial continuity. In this regard, it was seen that the Genoese did not found Galata as a colonial settlement from scratch but in fact possessed a well urbanized Byzantine district. In order to display the urban layout of its previous centuries, Galata was formerly subjected to some mapping attempts but few of them were able to accurately detect spatial continuities as well as discontinuities between different historical periods of this neighborhood. Hence, those efforts remained rather inconclusive from an urban point of view. Main reasons behind this failure can be given as the lack of an interdisciplin- ary approach and proper knowledge of urban morphology. Therefore, this article aims to improve the aforementioned research within the context of discovering the ancient road and water system; and to set a wider spatial connection between the late antiquity and medieval periods of Galata in comparison with modern times. For this reason, primary sources and archaeological evidence were consid- ered for exclusive urban objectives. In the end, related findings displayed that the urban layout of modern Galata and its surroundings not only have strong traces remained from ancient times but also had significant transformations. Keywords Galata, Architectural history, Urban archaeology, Urban history, Urban doi: 10.5505/itujfa.2020.68916 doi: morphology. 14 1. Galata in Ancient Times: ple and accorded the right of being a Sykai and its surroundings separate city to this suburb, which was until the Genoese Period renamed as “Justinianopolis” (Malalas, Galata is a northern district of Is- 1986; Chronicon Paschale, 1989). Af- tanbul, which is located outside the terwards, in 552, he constructed the historical peninsula and on the other monumental church of Hagia Irene side of the Golden Horn. As a result there (Malalas, 1986; Procopius, 1999). of its coastal access to this gulf as well Elaia (or Elaion) was a sacred and as the Bosporus, Galata has many nat- mountainous suburb on the opposite ural quays. Following an almost plain side of Constantinople, which first ap- coastal band all along the localities of pears in the 5th century. The church Azapkapı, Karaköy and Tophane, the and leprosarium of Saint Zotikos was topography rises until reaching a mid- located there, who lived in the 4th cen- way hilltop called Kuledibi. After this tury (Janin, 1969; Mango, 2009). Ac- location, the topography rises further cording to Anthony of Novgorod, who to the north, until Şişhane. Due to its visited Constantinople in 1200, the dominant position, Galata offers a aforementioned complex remained on clear view of the Golden Horn, Bospo- a hilltop from Pegai (modern Kasım- rus and Istanbul. paşa) (Janin, 1950). Narratives about the rich natural The Church of the Maccabees was and built environment of the place another earlier shrine of Sykai from now called Galata date back to ancient the 4th century but its location was times. It was formerly called “Sykai” also mentioned as Elaia, as it remained that named after figs. According to Di- slightly inland from Argyroupolis onysius of Byzantium (2010), Sykai ap- (modern Tophane) (Mango, 2009). pears as a mere uninhabited place as of Therefore, the position of Elaia was in- the late 2nd century and the oldest set- terpreted as the commanding heights tlement of that area was located around rising above the neighboring Kasım- modern Tophane, opposite the ancient paşa, Galata and Tophane, like a con- Byzantium. ical hilltop (Dalleggio d’Alessio, 1946; The Notitia Urbis Constantinopol- Janin, 1950; Mango, 2009). The Patria itanae indicates as of the 5th century of Constantinople indicates that the that Sykai, the 13th region of Con- leprosarium of Saint Zotikos was re- stantinople was separated by a narrow built by Justin II and Sophia during the bay of the sea, therefore reached from 6th century (Berger, 2013). Elaia that the city through regular ferries. It was was named after olives was last seen completely situated on the side of a in a 10th century Byzantine liturgical mountain other than the course of a compilation published by Delehaye main street at the sea level, lying along (1902). the foot of that mountain. A landing Afterwards, the location of the stage for Sykai was in the 6th region aforementioned leprosarium appears right across (modern Eminönü). It had as “Herion” in the 11th century, with- one church; the Baths of Honorius; the in the context of a Slavic attack in 596. Forum of Honorius; a theatre; a dock- Accordingly, it was soon restored by yard; 431 houses; a large portico; five Emperor Maurice that a second res- private baths; one public bakery; four toration was carried out by John I private bakeries; and eight bread distri- Tzimiskes in the 10th century (Janin, bution centers (Matthews, 2012). 1969). As of the late 10th century, When Theodoric, the king of Os- Hierion (also called Herion / Gerion) trogoths had mutinied with his army was mentioned as a burial place on against Zeno in 487, he occupied Thra- the other side of Constantinople by ce until Melantias and also Sykai oppo- the Patria. It was allegedly named af- site of Constantinople, and cut off the ter a priest (ιερεύς) called Iros’ statue, city’s aqueduct (Malalas, 1986; Mar- which was erected there; and also af- cellinus Comes, 2017). In 528, Justin- ter the word “tomb” (ἡρῷον) (Berger, ian I restored the ruined Sykai as well 2013; Kimmelfield, 2019). Moreover, as its theatre and walls. He also built a “Gerion” was defined as a place right bridge to go across from Constantino- above Galata in a Byzantine patriarchal ITU A|Z • Vol 17 No 3 • November 2020 • H.S. Sağlam 15 document from September 1400 (Janin, The Middle Byzantine period was 1950). Thus, it was argued by Dalleggio relatively devastating for the area due d’Alessio (1946) and Janin (1950) that all to the Battle of Pegai against Bulgari- those names actually indicated the same ans in 921 (Hupchick, 2017) and the place in different times, above Galata. revolt of Nicephorus Bryennius in It is known that Sykai itself was also 1077, which caused a fire that burned used as a burial place. For instance, all the northern suburbs of Constanti- during the disastrous Plague of Justin- nople, opposite the Golden Horn (Ko- ian in 541-542, burial plots in Constan- hen, 2007). There are very few primary tinople were not enough for the victims. sources giving information about this Hence, the towers of Sykai walls were period of Galata and its surroundings. unroofed, entirely filled with corpses As of the second half of the 12th and roofed again (Procopius, 2007). century, a Jewish quarter in Galata was Nevertheless, it appears that the walls mentioned by Benjamin of Tudela. It of Sykai were soon restored to their pre- had a community of 2000 Rabbinic vious state, as Agathias (1975) indicates and 500 Karaite Jews, where a fence di- that they were manned against Kutrigur vided them (Jacoby, 1967). During the raids in 558-559. Fourth Crusade, the Castle of Galata “Exartysis” was the site of arming and its naval chain were captured by warships and it was placed opposite of the Crusaders in July 1203. The Jewish Constantinople as of the mid-10th cen- quarter there was sacked and burned. tury (Janin, 1950). Then, an “Old Ex- Then, the troops encamped beyond the artysis” was mentioned in the vicinity Golden Horn for a while, before the fi- of Pegai in 1265. As a result, the dock- nal siege and sack of Constantinople in yard of Sykai from the 5th century Noti- April 1204 (Geoffroy de Villehardouin, tia, the Exartysis, “vetus Tarsana” (old 2017). In this regard, it has been argued dockyard) in the west of Galata by May that Galata faced an overall abandon- 1303 (discussed in the next section) and ment and neglect during the struggling recent Haliç Shipyards were all matched Latin period in Constantinople, which with each other by position by Erkal lasted until 1261 (Jacoby, 1998; 2013). (2016) and Janin (1950). The foundation process of Sykai in Especially from the mid-5th century coordination with Constantinople on onwards, numerous shrines of Constan- the other side was discussed by Cam- tinople briefly appeared in historical iz (2019) that both settlements grad- accounts and with the distinctive state- ually expanded from the east towards ment of “peran” (πέραν = across) for the west during the Early Byzantine Sykai, Elaia, Argyroupolis and Exartysis, period. When the ancient Byzantium which were all located on the other side grew until the boundary where the of the Golden Horn (Delehaye, 1902; Walls of Constantinople are situated, Janin, 1969). Sykai had seven churches in the meantime, the oldest settlement and nine monasteries in total as of the around modern Tophane then formed 6th century (Janin, 1969). Sykai in the west and later continued The exact etymological root of its growth towards modern Kasımpaşa. “Galata” is unclear but there are some hypotheses about this subject (Eyice, 2. Pera on top of Galata: Edicts 1965).