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Forum/square in Constantinople
The
Forum of Constantine
(
Greek
:
Φ?ρο? Κωνσταντ?νου
,
romanized
:
Foros Konstantinou
;
Latin
:
Forum Constantini
) was built at the foundation of
Constantinople
immediately outside the
old city walls
of
Byzantium
. It marked the centre of the new city, and was a central point along the
Mese
, the main ceremonial road through the city.
[1]
It was circular and had two monumental gates to the east and west. The
Column of Constantine
, which still stands upright and is known today in Turkish as
Cemberlita?
, was erected in the centre of the square.
The column was originally crowned with a statue of
Constantine I
(3. 306-337) as
Apollo
,
[2]
but a strong gale in 1150 caused the statue and three of the column's upper drums to fall, and a cross was added in its place by the
Byzantine
emperor
Manuel I Komnenos
(r. 1143-1180). Otherwise the forum remained nearly intact until the
Fourth Crusade
in 1203?1204. The city's first Senate House lay on the north side of it. It is known from the sources that the square was decorated with a number of antique statues, but it is impossible to determine their exact appearance and location.
The Forum suffered major damage in a fire started by soldiers of the Fourth Crusade in 1203. After the
Sack of 1204
, the antique statues decorating the Forum were melted down by the Crusaders.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
41°00′32″N
28°58′16″E
/
41.009°N 28.971°E
/
41.009; 28.971
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Roads and squares
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Palaces and mansions
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Harbours
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Public buildings
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Column monuments
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Water supply
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