Wall of Costantinople – Yedikule Fortress – Historical Istanbul Tours
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We doesn’t know exactly when the first city walls was constructed. The first city walls more or less comprising todays Topkapi Palace area. But they were destroyed when Byzantium found itself on the losing side in a civil war against Septimos Severus in 196 A.D. Just a few years later bacuse of strategic importance of the region Septimus Severus reconstructed a new city wall but that time double size of the first walls and is thougt to have begun somewhere downstream a short distance from Galata bridge at the Golden Horn, and to have ended at somewhere very close near the ligthhouse at Marmara sea. The third city walls was constructed during reign of Costantine the Great when he decided to move his capital from Rome to Byzas in 326. And his decision would affect world history for the next millennium. Emperor personnally traced out the limites of the new city. Costantine city walls was beginning somewhere upstream todays Ataturk Bridge on the Golden Horn; making a a great circular arc, ending in the bay on Samatya. The last city walls was constructed first part of 5th century by Teodosius II on the triangular promontory and totally are about 21 km long.
Although today the city walls are in ruin, still are splendid and impressive and many of the original gates have survived to our day. As a result of the restoration that began in the 1980’s, the vicinity of the walls has been improved and the some areas turned into public parks.
The most impressive gate in the walls was the “Golden Gate”. That door was build as an triumph arch and when victorious armies returning from a war entering through this door. In Teodosius period the city walls was enlarged and Golden Gate became a part of city walls. During Ottoman period three more towers was added inside the walls connected with four curtain walls to the city walls and formed a five sided inner castle. These added parts in Ottoman period called seven towers but never they were used as a castle, they were used as prison and storage places.
Today seven towers restored in 1959 and serve as a museum. In summer time concerts and other cultural activities take place here
