Column of Çemberlitaş: The Silent Witness of History
Located in the heart of Istanbul’s historic peninsula, the Column of Çemberlitaş (also known as the Column of Constantine) is one of the city’s oldest surviving monuments, bearing the legacy of the Roman Empire. Commissioned by Emperor Constantine the Great in 330 AD, the column marks the transformation of Byzantium into Constantinople.
Constructed from reddish porphyry stone, the column originally supported a statue of Constantine dressed as Apollo. Over the centuries, it suffered damage from earthquakes, fires, and environmental wear. During the Ottoman period, iron rings were added to reinforce the structure, giving it the name “Çemberlitaş,” meaning “hooped stone.” 1 reply
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