The Walls of Constantinople Built by the Roman Empire! GREAT WALK! - Turkey Istanbul - ECTV

Eric Clarks Travel Videos - Turkey Istanbul - The Walls of Constantinople Built by the Roman Empire!
The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul in Turkey) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger. They saved the city, and the Byzantine Empire with it, during sieges by the Avar-Sassanian coalition, Arabs, Rus', and Bulgars, among others. The advent of gunpowder siege cannons rendered the fortifications vulnerable, but cannon technology was not sufficiently advanced to capture the city on its own, and the walls could be repaired between reloading. Ultimately, the city fell from the sheer weight of numbers of the Ottoman forces on 29 May 1453 after a six-week siege.
The walls were largely maintained intact during most of the Ottoman period until sections began to be dismantled in the 19th century, as the city outgrew its medieval boundaries. Despite lack of maintenance, many parts of the walls survived and are still standing today. A large-scale restoration program has been underway since the 1980s.
According to tradition, the city was founded as Byzantium by Greek colonists from Megara, led by the eponymous Byzas, around 658 BC.[1] At the time the city consisted of a small region around an acropolis located on the easternmost hill (corresponding to the modern site of the Topkapı Palace). According to the late Byzantine Patria of Constantinople, ancient Byzantium was enclosed by a small wall which began on the northern edge of the acropolis, extended west to the Tower of Eugenios, then went south and west towards the Strategion and the Baths of Achilles, continued south to the area known in Byzantine times as Chalkoprateia, and then turned, in the area of the Hagia Sophia, in a loop towards the northeast, crossed the regions known as Topoi and Arcadianae and reached the sea at the later quarter of Mangana. This wall was protected by 27 towers and had at least two landward gates, one which survived to become known as the Arch of Urbicius, and one where the Milion monument was later located. On the seaward side, the wall was much lower.[2] Although the author of the Patria asserts that this wall dated to the time of Byzas, the French researcher Raymond Janin thinks it more likely that it reflects the situation after the city was rebuilt by the Spartan general Pausanias, who conquered the city in 479 BC. This wall is known to have been repaired, using tombstones, under the leadership of a certain Leo in 340 BC, against an attack by Philip II of Macedon.[3]
Byzantium was relatively unimportant during the early Roman period. Contemporaries described it as wealthy, well peopled and well fortified, but this affluence came to an end due to its support for Pescennius Niger (r. 193-194) in his war against Septimius Severus (r. 193-211). According to the account of Cassius Dio (Roman History, 75.10-14), the city held out against Severan forces for three years, until 196, with its inhabitants resorting even to throwing bronze statues at the besiegers when they ran out of other projectiles.[4] Severus punished the city harshly: the strong walls were demolished and the city was deprived of its civic status, being reduced to a mere village dependent on Heraclea Perinthus.[5] However, appreciating the city's strategic importance, Severus eventually rebuilt it and endowed it with many monuments, including a Hippodrome and the Baths of Zeuxippus, as well as a new set of walls, located some 300-400 m to the west of the old ones. Little is known of the Severan Wall save for a short description of its course by Zosimus (New History, II.30.2-4) and that its main gate was located at the end of a porticoed avenue (the first part of the later Mese) and shortly before the entrance of the later Forum of Constantine. The wall seems to have extended from near the modern Galata Bridge in the Eminönü quarter south through the vicinity of the Nuruosmaniye Mosque to curve around the southern wall of the Hippodrome

[@charlesmorello5641]

These walls stopped all threaths coming from everywhere for centuries. Only the discovery of the gun powder with the inventions of cannons were capable of making a breach in it and not even destroying it. Truly one of the wonders of human engineering

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

Massive structure and it held for this entire time. Amazing!!! =) Thanks for watching my video. Eric

[@Zaryab_umer]

But sultan mehmed 2 have been vanished. It 😂

[@joaoribeiro8376]

@@EricClarkTravelVideos Thank you for posting such a cool video! Hoping to visit some day!

[@Fluckor666]

Walls are race ist. Lol

[@Zaryab_umer]

@@stefano_nellox Bulgarian Cannon huh 😂 21 year old sultan conquered Constantinople where the biggest kings in history failed to conqueror😁

[@stareatme9983]

I wish I could go back in time and see places like this in their glory days

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

Wouldnt it be amazing to see this when it was first completed??? Simply crazy over the top WOW WOW!!!! =) Thanks for watching my video. Eric

[@Carlo-zk2cy]

For one thousand years those walls protected and preserved the Greco-Roman civilization.

[@commifaiL]

The Netflix show Rise of Empires... is why I am here.. thank you for this amazing video..

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

The wall is HUGE and amazing. =) Glad you liked my video. Eric

[@JC-gl7ee]

I’m genuinely saddened I couldn’t experience Constantinople. The Turkish government should feel immensely privileged at the history of their capital it is amazing they still stand

[@ohyeahyeah5873]

its not our capital lol

[@JC-gl7ee]

@@ohyeahyeah5873 yes it is?

[@ohyeahyeah5873]

@@JC-gl7ee it's Ankara...

[@JC-gl7ee]

@@ohyeahyeah5873 my bad, that’s shocking they haven’t swapped the capital. I guess they aren’t as appreciative

[@ohyeahyeah5873]

@@JC-gl7ee it’s bot because we are not appreciative of the history of this city man its just that Ankara is right in the middle of the country so in a invasion scenario it would be harder for the enemy to capture the government

[@faridahmad8585]

Wonderful historical place love from india

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

Wow! Watching from India. VERY COOL! I am glad you watched the video and glad you liked it. =) Thanks for the note too. =) Eric

[@sultansaladinayyubi1144]

I'm a Muslim but i respect Roman empire because of it's Massive influence on the world. We have seperate chapter In Quran in the name of Roman empire(Surah Ar rum) .

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

It is an amazing structure. Incredible. =) Thanks for watching my video. Eric

[@laylaalthawadi3012]

We muslim who destroy roman empire from the time of umar ra until mehmet fatih

[@sultansaladinayyubi1144]

@@laylaalthawadi3012 @@laylaalthawadi3012 Indeed but because they forgot and fabricated the true Gospel true message of Jesus Christ pbuh.

[@CarlJancorda]

​@@sultansaladinayyubi1144 that doesn't mean muslims will go to steal and conquer it

[@pascojm6816]

​@@EricClarkTravelVideosyou didn't destroy the Great Roman empire

[@selimsahkulu78]

Imagine if these walls could talk...

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

I bet you are VERY right about that. I am sure they have seen the world grow. Amazing. Thanks for watching. Eric

[@kamion53]

that would very scary, talking walls especially when they try to use all the languages of all who ruled the city at the same time.

[@ustadhaeruddinofficial7115]

top Muhammad Al Fatih

[@beastthingss]

My respect for Mehmet II 📈📈📈📈

[@rickyyacine4818]

Rip Constantinople 😢😢😢😢

[@a_09.7]

1453 what a time to be alive

[@Goyim-phobic]

Good old times hahaha

[@jamesenny7831]

Thank you so much for making this. I long to walk those walls. The immense size is unreal and it’s unbelievable to think what it would have been like showing up there in it’s prime. Wonderful content and thank you again.

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

Thanks for the nice words. =) Also, Thanks for watching my video. =) Eric

[@unstoppable-ar3292]

Amazing stuff man..I'm in Istanbul and I've visited parts of the walls. If only they can speak to us and tell us stories..

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

its a huge great wall. =) I wish it could speak as I bet it has some amazing stories to tell. I am glad it is still around these days... =) Thanks for watching my videos. =) Eric

[@Northerners1989]

Crusade, Bulgarian empire, Umayyad empire and many more tried to break down this wall challenge given by rome, but only 1 succeeded

[@johncane2304]

The huns and the goths also

[@nicotri9722]

Not one, but two. The Latins in 1204 and the Turks in 1453. Both, SADLY.

[@colchesterritter8992]

I walked the entire wall a number of years ago. I had inappropriate footwear for the cobbles and pavements and finished with the worst blisters. I did get to see the Golden Gate and walk through the much reduced arch. If memory serves I accessed it from inside of the wall and to the left of that round tower near the end of your footage. Thanks for the reminder; I hope you had a great time in the old city.

[@sistafila]

A really fortified city. Its planners were very thoughtful and insightful.

[@chuggon7595]

Wow, no wonder Constantinople was considered impenetrable! You really only read about how it was strong and hard to get into, but I didn't realize HOW strong it actually was.

[@babiyarnazarismaily6207]

Bulgarian here...we had a lot of clashes with the eastern roman empire and our history is closely connected with theirs,we call this city tzarigrad,wich means the city of the tzar,cause we call it like this from before the ottomans when city name was constantinopol

[@weffwe152wefew]

I wish byzantium held out

[@cbbbgbbb497]

as an Istanbul resident (residing on the Asian side though) I haven't seen the walls this close before. Thank you for showing my city to me hahaha :)

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

Lol. Thank you for watching my video and letting me enjoy your incredible city!!! Very cool!!!

[@cbbbgbbb497]

@@EricClarkTravelVideos Thank you as well for visiting our city. I have also realized that you are a good hearted man. Have safe trips Eric 👋🏻

[@studyofantiquityandthemidd4449]

@@EricClarkTravelVideos firstly, this is beautiful footage. Secondly, would you allow me to use silent portions of this video in an upcoming episode on the Eastern Roman Empire? I'd happily provide attribution. Thanks for your time and work!

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

@@studyofantiquityandthemidd4449 You are welcome to use the video. =) Can you send me your finished project (or link) so I can see what it looks like? Very cool. Thanks for watching my video. =) Eric

[@studyofantiquityandthemidd4449]

@@EricClarkTravelVideos thank you so much! I will happily do so! Seriously wonderful footage and it really helps an audience see the history that we are discussing.

[@talkingpie1]

can you still see the place the wall was breached? I'm planning a trip myself and of course one thing id like to see is the spot where Mehmed breached the walls and the final battle of Rome took place. But oddly there seems to be surprisingly little information on where exactly along the wall the ottomans were able to get in.

[@anisursamsung]

Amazing by Roman Empire. More amazing by Fateh for having the stamina and faith to break it.

[@ErmakBrovar]

Those fragments of walls, which look intact, are recently built. If you go to Iznik, you will see how they build “Nicaea walls”. And in Efesus they build the theater at the historical site right in front of tourists.

[@ericagos1601]

Sections of the walls have been rebuilt. Other sections are original, it is easy to tell the difference because the original are in the battered state after being blasted with cannon by the Turks when they took Constantinople in 1453. What is interesting is that the original sections have withstood the frequent earthquakes that the area is known for, while the rebuilt ones have not. This is a testament to the genius of Roman engineering. Likewise, other Roman monuments like the Hagia Sophia and the Aqueduct of Valens have withstood many sever earthquakes over the centuries, which have levelled surrounding newer structures. It is unfortunate that so little of Roman/Christian Constantinople remains. It was the greatest jewel of the late ancient and medieval ages, at least in Europe. The culture and civilization is a personal favourite. I am mystified that it is so under represented in film and television. There are plenty of individuals and events from "Byzantine" history that would be perfect for an epic movie or TV series. The reign of Justinian including the Nika Riots and construction of the Hagia Sophia come to mind. The Macedonian dynasty and golden age would make a great TV series, in the vein of The Borgias or The Tudors.This is the closest we will come to seeing Constantinople in her glory days.

[@mikesturyan9]

The Constantine walls are closer in. These walls are the Theodosian Walls.

[@sistafila]

Very old but still beautiful.

[@egooidios5061]

I have to admire the decision of Turkish State to preserve those and not tear them down in sake of traffic.

[@rm3869]

It brings them money

[@GeneralSantucci1st]

I’m shocked at how well preserved they are

[@Helgi105]

This part has recently been restored by the Turks.

[@GeneralSantucci1st]

@@Helgi105 I’m shocked

[@Matt67012]

@@GeneralSantucci1styou can actually see where the darkest of the stone is and the lightest stone is renovated on top, if you removed all renovation like 80-90% of the walls would be complete rubble

[@iron4517]

Underrated

[@Gachain]

The wall was built to protect New Rome, the capital of the Roman Empire in the East and THE Capital of Roman Empire after 476.

[@ajayindiana]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@Pinky_Gaming123]

good job by sultan mehmed ii

[@b3arwithm3]

Could you please share where we can see the best section of the walls? I understood it is long and wraps around the city. But some parts are still intact. Thanks

[@johna.4334]

It's not an ocean but rather a sea.

[@stevyd]

The oldest and classical part of modern Instanbul that was long called Constantinople (and Byzantium before that) lies on the west side of the Bosporus Strait which connects the Black Sea in the north to the Sea of Marmara south (the Bosporus also divides Europe from Asia.) The Sea of Marmara connects by way of the Dardanelles Straight into the Agean Sea which connects to the larger Mediterranean Sea. There are 5 important seas, and 2 strategic straights around Instanbul, but no ocean. I became a lifetime fan of history, especially Roman history when as a young kid, I read about the massive Roman walls of Constantinople, its ancient Hippodrome, and its famous basilica The Hagia Sophia (with its monumental dome.) One day I hope to visit this ancient, historic, and beautiful city.

[@ibrahim0201]

Sultan Muhammad Fatih❤️

[@GeneralOfNW]

Sultan Mehmet* Fatih

[@hypersp3ce596]

mehmet not muhammed

[@sirtajahmedkhan1533]

Sultanate-Osmania😍😍Islambul-Istanbul - Sultan Mohammad Al Fateh.

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

Thanks for watching. :). Eric

[@sirtajahmedkhan1533]

@@EricClarkTravelVideos You're welcome, Eric.😍😍

[@jinistone1337]

Constatinopole was build by Constatine the Great and he made it his capital. Constatine the Great was Illyrian.

[@atomicpower8227]

Long live the glorious Roman Empire!

[@travel_show]

Hi. Could you please elaborate from which point your started your journey ? Geo location please

[@kannansivakumar1873]

Peaceful community took it peacefully

[@venugopalaiyar8416]

Hinduism is poison

[@rickyyacine4818]

Constantinople will be restored

[@o.w.a.i.s8487]

Yeah Hindoos could never

[@reactionguychaky123]

Roman:- No one can even dare to touch it.😏 Mehmet fatih:- No problem we will break it😂

[@AustrySpring]

Thx Ottomans for not destroying the aqueducts to

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

I agree. Its amazing to see. I walked the entire length of it. Very cool. WOW. Thanks for watching. =) Eric

[@dimitris9350]

Thank them for what? For not destroying a useful even for them fortification?

[@AustrySpring]

@@dimitris9350 Ottomanns respected Culture Religion and more Not like europe back then

[@GeneralOfNW]

@@dimitris9350 We have never used that Walls. Our borders were more more bigger than a single city...

[@chhanapachuau799]

@@AustrySpring Damn, The ottoman propaganda still exist today? Not surprised since the Empire itself is islamic. They Destroyed the balkans and took the kids from there colonial places and force them to convert in to islam and fight for their empire aka The jannisaries

[@isntrael]

Did they fill in the motes to make those gardens?

[@Jenn4One]

It kept the Otterman empire from invasion.

[@riversky33]

Is there a wall along the shoreline?

[@NicholasGeorge-cg3cf]

It's amazing , I did not know this even existed , it a good thing the Turkish invaders have not demolished it .

[@semihbulut7754]

Since the Turks came to Istanbul, they have protected and developed Istanbul, but even though the Crusaders came to Istanbul only once, they destroyed Istanbul. I think before you call us invaders, look at yourself.

[@ELIAB424]

The Theodosian Walls are the fortifications of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire, which were first built during the reign of Theodosius II (408-450 CE) It used to be the walls of saint Justinain Saint Paul and Constantine first Roman emperor had THEYRE statues here Constantinople modern Instanbul aswel it made my heart shrink when I saw it last year on my visit to Ankara The walls have 1500 years of Roman/Christian history in ruins ☦️😢 I was surprised parts of the golden gate are still in tackt after the sack of Constantinople 1453 If it is that big after the sack imagen how big it used to be!!😨

[@youtubekroniktarih]

Konstantinapolis yagmalanmadi istila edilmedi feth edildi peygamber efendimiz sav elbet feth olunacaktır diye hadis-i serif var😉

[@SpJrD]

Don’t worry buddy, we Muslims librated the lands and will take care of it 😄

[@semihbulut7754]

Istanbul was not sacked in 1453, but it was burned and destroyed by the Crusaders in 1204 and many statues were stolen from Istanbul and taken to Europe.

[@eliasrudi9728]

I don't understand about what Ocean the narrator is talking about???

[@muhamadabdulazis3346]

Saya berharap kamu bisa mengajak saya jalan jalan kesana. 🇲🇨

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

Thanks for watching my video. :) Eric

[@raduromanesti6408]

Sad 😢

[@mlks007]

Theodosian Walls are about 1600 years old not 2000.

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

LOL I have even heard that it was done 2500 years ago. =) You cant trust any site these days. =) Thanks so much for watching my video and the comments. =) Eric

[@CaesarAugustus.]

Constantinople 😔

[@fovgelbescher]

İstanbul Mehmetiyye

[@SpJrD]

Don’t worry buddy, we Muslims librated the lands and will take care of it 😄

[@easycake3251]

The things we (Humans) are capable of building and inventing during moments of survival is insane. Just think of how much stone was needed to build this monstrosity of a wall.. Also, a sad thing. The Turks dont seems to really respect this wall. The wall that kept them out for generations, and then kept them save for generations more. If it was in a different part of the world, you know it would be restored by now, and all the grass/bushes/trees would be removed for a more breath taking view.

[@MrFataulas]

Build by the greek Byzantine empire

[@Raiyan404]

Love from Bangladesh.

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

Welcome to the show. =) Thanks for the love too. Eric

[@johntynan8161]

Wow western empires are the greatest of all time

[@MML-gk5xc]

Byzance wasn’t western but it’s okay 😊

[@sameerpathan312]

rise of empires Ottoman after watch

[@maira6580]

Really sad!, It looks like Turkey do take the opportunity for tourism, signage is poor traffic, do not let people go through.

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

Its an amazing historic wall. Its neat to see the history of it all. =) Thanks for watching my video. =) Eric

[@shqipeAl]

The city in the city (istanbul) capacity of 800 k people was build way before from the Dacian illyrian tribe 150 b. C than was invaded in 120 a. D by Emperor Hadrian and was restored by Romans and Byzantine and latter by Ottoman

[@shine-wz7oc]

Legacy of BYZANTINE EMPIRE

[@mdnsd3720]

Rome, not Byzantium. The inhabitants of the city are Romans. They don't even know what Byzantine is. Eternal rome. Roma invicta.

[@OlympusKnight]

Ocean LOL

[@issith7340]

The golden gate was at your right. The one you passed ia a fake gate, madr by turks. The fenced one that was under construction was golden gate. Turks are not so relaxed about greek/roman parts of constadinople, so they confuse turists often. Yedicule was a fort made in glden gate, so the gate you passed from was just the entrance of that fort

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

Wow. Great information. =) I appreciate the insight. I am sure I will go back some day soon. =) Thanks for watching. Eric

[@issith7340]

@@EricClarkTravelVideos 👍😉

[@samampatua9338]

I watch 1453 movie that hestory

[@scottfoster3548]

A thousand years ago some barbarians were gathering in groups hoping their plan would work with the same view you had. Trippy.

[@SpJrD]

Those “barbarians” succeeded after all ❗️😏

[@hypersp3ce596]

the only barbarians to face constantinople was the crusader of the 4th crusade

[@scottfoster3548]

@@hypersp3ce596 WRONGO crusade is defend the cross because Islam was slaughtering pilgrims going to Jerusalem. THOUGH I will acknowledge bad stuff done by Christians BUT Islam did worse. Can you see the truth or are you just an un-reasonable non-philosopher. Thankfully we live in the INFORMATION age and the truths are coming out not hate filled agendas.

[@hypersp3ce596]

​@@scottfoster3548 first of all, I'm not a muslim. second of all go research the sack of constantinople. the christians from the 4th crusade raped, pillaged and destroyed constantinople.

[@scottfoster3548]

@@hypersp3ce596 Forgive me I was attempting to disprove your first statement and show all people and races have committed bad deeds THEN I followed with an acknowledgment of the bad acts by Christians AND that particular sack which include atrocities BUT did lead to some dissembling of relics, documents and books into Italy primarily contributing to the ultimate Renascence and re-birth of Europe. In summary ALL people and ALL races have been enslaved and killed wrongly We are not going to spend our energy in being the ones who were treated the worst RATHER we ask within our heart constantly and acknowledgment bad things but no they pass. Ying and the yang hos that from going western religion to eastern religious philosophy in a few sentences.

[@christianmccann9400]

So many times was that place attacked but its walls kept it safe for hundreds of years

[@alexisleon23]

The walls 🧱 of Constantinople were built MAINLY BY GREEKS, in case you didn't know. There were a few aristocratic Roman families who constituted a small minority.

[@ThroneMattAEr]

It was the byzantine empire Although they used to be called the eastern roman empire it's mostly greek

[@martinbabb6683]

There is no ocean anywhere near Istanbul. There are seas and straights, but no oceans.

[@outthere9370]

No mention of what part of the wall where the Muslim's broke through?

[@Anonymous_Greek]

Built by the Byzantine Empire* which was greek

[@PROVOCATEURSK]

Make the pony riders pay for it.

[@mileskendziorski8000]

If only they would build a wall like this to act as a border wall for the U.S, no illegal immigrants coming on foot would make it to the other side.

[@VENOM.AMC.]

Built by Roman empire and damaged by Ottomans 😂😂

[@user-gn1ln9mk5i]

They conquered one of the biggest Orthodox Cities.. Which is not good 1-0 for the muslims..

[@subutaynoyan5372]

Technically speaking, Ottomans were still a Turkic khanate more than an islamic caliphate at that stage. I don't think Mehmed II gave a flying fuck about religious motivations. Actually, the ulema of his court were mostly against this conquest because it was heralded in hadith that Constantinople's conquest will mark the beginning of end times

[@johna.4334]

Take off that silly mask -it's difficult to understand what you're saying.

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

I cant wait until we are done with these silly masks.... Some countries (Malta was one of them) will give you a 200 Euro ticket even if you have a mask on but not covering your nose... STRICT!!! =) Thanks for watching my video. Eric

[@user-xw3vj2en5o]

Sir. ..... Constantinople ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΎΠΟΛΗ easy no Latin Roman Greek or Hellas. On Acient Greek city of Bisant. 2500 years Greek acient city from Megara near Athens... please. ..read Google. It's yours in English...aaa Othman's 500 years. Just new ok.

[@thomassalvi]

The MOMENT a rational person sees another person with a COVID mask on, immediately all credibility is lost. There is no sense listening to the person further as they have reflected a personal acceptance of a political fraud and lives according to falsehood.

[@alexmarch7636]

Greek walls

[@GeneralOfNW]

Bruh

[@hypersp3ce596]

bruh

[@Immigrantlovesamerica]

Sweet and sour. Lovely to see the walls, but its so sour what was done to the entire population by the Ottomans.

[@A_Yo_brown]

The Christians should take it back lol

[@EricClarkTravelVideos]

LOL I think they would take better care of it.... =) But it is amazing! Thanks for watching. =) ERic

[@yahyaabdellah2713]

@@EricClarkTravelVideosyou can have the walls

[@averroesthecommentator2989]

@@EricClarkTravelVideos No reason to think they would take better care of it haha, these walls are in better shape than any Roman walls in christian lands considering their massive scale. The Byzantines themselves preferred the city to be under Islamic Ottoman rule than Catholic, so it rightly belongs to its current owners

[@kamion53]

@@averroesthecommentator2989 The 60 years of Catholic rule under the so called Latin Empire were the most devastating for the city.

[@ericagos1601]

@@averroesthecommentator2989 Not true. The Christians of Constantinople decided to stay and fight to the death to defend their city and their faith, which stretched back over a thousand years. They were outnumbered more than ten to one-7000 defenders total against 80 to 100 thousand Turks. They knew that Mehmet intended to invade at least a year in advance, ever since he built the fortress north of the city on the Bosphorus to cut off the sea lanes. Yet all of them, including the emperor Constantine XI, stayed and fought to the death. While it is true that they had bad relations with the Papacy, this does not mean that they preferred to be under Ottoman rule-quite the opposite, in fact. Of the seven thousand defenders, 2000 were Catholics from Genoa in Italy, who also fought to the death side by side with the Byzantines (eastern Romans). When the Ottomans broke through the walls into the city, three days of carnage, rape and pillage ensued. They went straight to the Hagia Sophia, where 14 to 16 thousand civilians were seeking refuge. They broke down the doors, and killed the young, elderly, and sick on the spot. The raped women, boys and girls, and chained up survivors to sell into slavery. This is how it was first used as a mosque. The Hagia Sophia has the same significance to Orthodox Christians that the Kaaba or Dome of the Rock has to Muslims, imagine if this had happened to these. In the ensuing centuries, the Christian populations under Ottoman rule suffered greatly. Policies like the Devshirme blood tax, dhimmi status, the Christian slave trade that was the backbone of the Ottoman economy (Ottoman census from 1609 shows that 20 percent of Constantinople's population was Christian slaves.) Large scale civilian massacres at Otranto, Chios, Batak, and elsewhere. When the Ottoman empire began to decline, the Greeks, Serbs, Bulgarians and other Christian peoples who had lived under Ottoman slavery for centuries rose up in revolt, and the Ottomans were utterly vicious in response, although unsuccessful. If the Greek "Byzantines" were happy living under Islamic Ottoman rule, then they (and other Christian nations) wouldn't have bothered trying to gain independence. It was the Catholic and Protestant west who came to the aid of the Greeks during their war of independence, starting in 1821. Without their support, it is doubtful whether the Greeks would have succeeded. The fate of Christians under modern Turkey was even worse. From 1913-1922, 2.5 Million Greek, Armenian and Assyrian Christians were killed in one the world's worst genocides. Many more were permanently exiled, and thousands of historic churches and Christian cultural monuments were destroyed. After the genocide, Turkey passed a series of discriminatory laws collectively known as Turkification, intended to "finish the job" by erasing all traces of Anatolia's 2000 years of rich Christian culture and presence. These included the Varlik Vergisi tax, where Christians and Jews paid up to 230 % tax while Muslim Turks paid less than 5 % tax. The Surname Law, where all Christians and Jews had to adopt Turkish Surnames, with the result that many "Turks" are unaware of their true ethnic heritage. There was ethnic cleansing, like the 1955 Istanbul pogrom where the entire Greek community was destroyed over a premeditated lie, involving the Turkish government, media, and citizens. Turkey has never acknowledged or apologized for these atrocities, and continues to take what little remains of Anatolia's Christian heritage that existed for over 1000 years before the first Turks arrived, bringing Islam with them. Christian monuments and holy places have been subjected to one of two fates. Often they are destroyed. Those that survive are stripped of their Christian identity and appropriated for Islamic use. Rather than honouring Anatolia's diverse past, Turkey likes to pretend that history began in 1453. Any Christian monument to survive is treated as a war trophy, a symbol of the supremacy of Turk over Greek, Islam over Christianity. Nothing illustrates this better than the Hagia Sophia. Istanbul has over 3000 mosques today, several are of a size and magnificence to rival the Hagia Sophia, including the Suktan Ahmed "Blue" Mosque right next door. Of the 500 churches from pre-Ottoman Constantinople at the time of the siege, only 21 remain. Only one (the smallest) is still a church. The rest have been mostly stripped of their rich mosaics and Christian iconography, and are empty plastered over shells reserved for Muslim use. The Hagia Sophia was built as the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch, spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians worldwide. It was the the centre of the OC world for 1000 years, including the western church before the Great Schism of 1054. All Byzantine emperors were crowned in the great cathedral. The Ecumenical Patriarch still resides in Istanbul, and is still known as the Patriarch of Constantinople. He is barred from the church that his predecessors served in for a millennium, and so are the millions of OC worldwide. These facts have never been forgotten by OC, and never will. The best way to honour the Hagia Sophia is to restore her to the original intended purpose she was built for, and functioned as such for many centuries. Constantinople and Istanbul have always been diverse, cosmopolitan cities. In medieval times, Constantinople had mosques and Roman Catholic churches. Turkey dishonours the Hagia Sophia and all Orthodox Christians, and the diverse heritage of the city. The Hagia Sophia is the greatest symbol, the heart and soul of both Orthodox Christianity and Greco Roman civilization. It would not exist without the Christian Romans. The Turks already have many grand historic mosques of their own, they already have their own unique culture. I cannot understand why they do not honour and respect the Christian Greco-Roman civilization that existed for longer than the Ottomans were around. Is it jealousy? Hatred? In fact, the Ottoman culture owes a great debt to the Byzantine Christian culture they conquered-including the Hagia Sophia. Ottoman mosques were heavily inspired by the architectural form of the Hagia Sophia (large central dome with cascading semi domes, pendentives, lots of light and space.) Istanbul would be a richer place to live and visit if the Turks honoured the Byzantine heritage more. Visitors and locals could witness Islamic worship and Ottoman culture in the historic Blue mosque, then go next door to the Hagia Sophia, and see the Divine Liturgy with Byzantine chants and candles illuminating the gold mosaics. It would be like walking through the centuries. I hope that one day this will come to pass. Lastly, in response to your comment "these walls are in better shape than any Roman walls in christian lands considering their massive scale. " Also incorrect. The Aurelian walls that surround the city of Rome are older than the Theodosian walls, and are much better preserved. There are many examples throughout western Europe of well preserved Roman fortifications. Look at the completetly preserved medieval city of Carcassonne in southern France, it is built on the old Roman walls.