SECTION V.

Concerning the circumference of Constantinople.

In the year 1044 (1634) when I was first come to years of manhood, and used to walk with my friends all over Islámbúl, at the time that Sultán Murád IV. had marched against (Riván) Eriván, and Kójah Baïrám Páshá was left as Káyim-makám (viceroy), he used to visit my late father; and, in the course of conversation, inquire about the history of Islámbúl. “My lord,” said my father, “it has been built nine times, and nine times destroyed; but had never, since it has been in the hands of the house of ’Osmán, fallen into such decay as now, when waggons might be any where driven through the walls.” He then suggested to the Páshá, that this city, being the envy of the kings of the earth, and the royal residence of the house of ’Osmán, it would be unworthy him to suffer its walls to remain in that ruinous condition during the period of his government; and that when the Sultán returned victorious from Riván, he would be overjoyed on seeing “the good city,” his nest, as brilliant as a pearl, and compensate this service by large remunerations, while the name of the Páshá would also be blessed by future generations for so meritorious a work. All who were present applauded what my father had said, and he concluded by repeating the Fátihah. The Mólláhs of Islámbúl, Iyyúb, Ghalatah, and Uskudár (Scutari), the Shehr emíní (superintendent of the town), four chief architects, Seybánbáshí (the third in rank among the officers of the Janissaries), and all other men in office were immediately summoned together, with the Imáms of the 4,700 divisions (mahallah) of the city, for the purpose of giving aid in repairing the fortifications. Many thousands of masons and builders having been assembled, the great work was begun, and happily finished in the space of one year, before the return of the Sultán from his victorious campaign at Riván.

On receiving intelligence of the conquest of that fortress the joy was universal, and the city was illuminated for seven days and seven nights. It was then that a causeway, twenty cubits broad, was formed at the foot of the wall, along the sea-shore, from Seraglio-Point to the Seven Towers; and on it a high road was made for the convenience of the sailors, who drag their vessels by ropes round the point into the harbour. Close to the wall, all the houses, within and without, were purchased by government, and pulled down to make room for the road, and I then was enabled to measure the circumference of the city, by pacing it round as I shall now explain.

Having said a bismillah on setting out, and going along the edge of the ditch, from the Seven Towers to Abú Iyyúb Ensárí, I found the distance measured 8,810 paces, exclusive of the eight gates. From the little gate of Iyyúb to the Garden-gate (Bághcheh kapú), including the Martyrs gate (Shehíd kapú-sí), a space comprehending fourteen gates, there are 6,500 paces. The new palace (Yení seráï), which is the threshold of the abode of felicity (Asitánehi Dáru-s-se’ádet), beginning from the barley-granary (Arpá-enbárí), which is near the head-lime-burners gate (kirej-chí báshí kapú-sí), has, in its whole circumference, sixteen gates, ten of which are open, and six closed, except on extraordinary occasions. The entire circuit of this new palace, built by Mohammed (II.) the conqueror, is 6,500 paces. The distance from the Stable gate (Akhór-kapú), along the new-made high road to the angle of the Seven Towers, measures 10,000 paces, and comprehends seven gates. According to this calculation, the whole circumference of Islámbúl measures 30,000 paces, having ten towers in every thousand paces, and four hundred towers in the sum total; but, taking into the account those in the triple wall on the land side, there are altogether 1,225 large towers; of which, some are square, some round, some hexagonal. When Baïrám Páshá had undertaken a complete repair of the fortifications, he ordered the walls to be measured by the builders’ ell (arshín), and the whole circumference of the city was found to be exactly 87,000 ells or cubits (zirá’).

In the time of Kostantín (Constantine), there were five hundred cannons planted on the arsenal (Tóp-khánah) near the lead-magazine, of which the iron gates are still visible; the same number was planted near Seraglio-Point, and a hundred round the foot of the Maiden’s Tower (Kiz kulleh-sí, i.e. the Tower of Leander). Not a bird could cross without being struck from one of these three batteries, so secure was Islámbúl from any hostile attack. There was then a triple chain drawn from Ghalatah to Yemish Iskeleh-sí, upon which a large bridge was built, affording a passage for comers and goers, and opening when necessary to allow the ships to go through. There were two other bridges also across the sea, from Balát kapú-sí (Palace gate) to the garden of the arsenal (Ters-kháneh-bághcheh-sí), and from Iyyúb to Súdlíjeh. In the time of Yánkó Ibn Mádiyán, also, a triple chain of iron was drawn across the straits of the Black Sea (Karah deniz bóghází), at the foot of the castle called Yórúz (i.e. the castle of the Genoese), in order to prevent the passage of the enemy’s ships. I have seen fragments of these chains, which are still preserved at Islámbúl in the magazines of the arsenal, each ring of which is as wide across as a man’s waist, but they now lie covered with sand and rubbish. Islámbúl was then in so flourishing a state, that the whole shore to Silivrí one way, and to Terkóz on the Black Sea the other, was covered with towns and villages to the number of twelve hundred, surrounded by gardens and vineyards, and following each other in uninterrupted succession. Constantine, having reached the summit of greatness and power, could easily have conquered the world, but he preferred employing the remainder of his life in the embellishment of his capital. On the great festivals, such as the Red-egg-days (Kizil yúmurtah gúnlerí, i.e. Easter), Mother Meryem’s days (the Feasts of the Virgin), Isvat Nikólah (St. Nicolas), Kásim (St. Demetrius), Khizr Ilyás (St. George), Aúsh-dús, (i.e. the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, on the 14th of September), the casting of the crosses into the water (the Epiphany), the days of Karah-kóndjólóz (probably days on which evil spirits were exorcised), and on all Sundays (Bázár gúnlerí, i.e. market days), the walls of Constantinople were covered with scarlet cloth, and the emperor himself, having his beard adorned with pearls, and the Kayanian crown of Alexander on his head, walked in solemn procession through the streets of the city.

The number of Paces between each of the twenty-seven Gates.

From the Kóshk (Kiosk) to the gate of the Seven Towers1,000paces.
From thence to the Silivrí-gate2,010
To the Yení-kapú (New-gate)1,000
To the Tóp-kapú (Cannon-gate)2,900
To the Adrianople-gate1,000
To the Egrí-kapú (Crooked-gate)900

These six gates are all on the west side of the city, looking towards Adrianople.

From thence to the Iyyúb Ensárí-gate1,000paces.
To the Balát kapú-sí (the gate of the Palatium)700
Fánús-kapú-sí (Fanal-gate)900
To the Petrah-kapú600
To the Yení-kapú (New-gate)100
To the Ayà-kapú300
To the Jubálí-kapú400
To the Un-kapání-kapú (Flour-market-gate)400
The Ayázmah-kapú (Fountain-gate)400
To the Odún-kapú (Timber-gate)400
To the Zindán-kapú-sí (Prison-gate)300
To the Báluk-bázárí-kapú (Fish-market-gate)400
To the Yení jáma’-kapú-sí (New Mosque-gate)300

This, which is also called the Válideh kapú-sí (Queen Mothers-gate), was erected in order to give access to the new mosque built by that princess.

From thence to Shehíd kapú-sí (Martyr’s-gate)300paces.

These fourteen gates, from Iyyúb-kapú-sí to Shehíd-kapú-sí, all open to the sea-shore, and face the north. The gates in the circuit of the imperial palace (seráï humáyún) are all private, and are, 1. the Kirech-jí (lime-burners); 2. the Oghrún, from which the corpses of criminals executed in the seraglio are thrown into the sea; 3. the Bálukchí (fishmongers); 4. the Ich ákhór (privy stable gate), looking southward; and 5. the gate of Báyazíd khán, which also faces the south, but is not always open. 6. The imperial (Bábi humáyún) or gate of felicity (Bábi Sa’ádet), also open to the south, and within it there are three gates in the same line: one of them is the (7.) Serví-kapú-sí (the cypress gate), by which the Sultán issues when he visits Sancta Sophia, or takes his rounds through the city in disguise; another is (8.) Sultán Ibráhím’s gate, also opening to the south, near the cold spring (sóúk cheshmeh); a third is (9.) the Sókóllí Mohammed Páshá kapú-sí, a small gate near the Aláï-kóshk, looking to the west; a fourth, also facing westward, is (10.) Suleïmán Khán kapú-sí, a small gate now always shut. (11.) The iron gate (Demir kapú) is a large portal facing the west, and appropriated to the use of the Bóstánjís and imperial favourites (Musáhibler, i.e. Ἑταίροι). The above-mentioned eight private gates, from the Akhór kapú to the Demir kapú, all open into the city; but there are nine other private gates opening to the sea on the Seraglio-Point, and facing the north.

The whole circuit of the Seraglio measures6,500paces.
From the Privy Stable to the Public Stable-gate (kháss-ú-’ám ákhór kapú-sí),there are200
From thence to the Chátládí (Broken-gate)1,300
To the Kúm-kapú (Sand-gate)1,200
To the Lánkah-gate1,400
Thence to the gate of Dáúd Páshá1,600
To the Samátíyah-gate800
To the Nárlí-gate1,600
To the gate of the inner castle of the Seven Towers2,000

Seven of these gates open towards the east, and as the winds blow from the south-east with great violence, the quay built by Baïrám Páshá was soon destroyed, so that when I paced the circuit, as mentioned above, in the reign of Ibráhím Khán, I was obliged to pass between the Stable-gate and the Seven Towers, within the walls. I then found the whole circuit to be 29,810 paces; but, in Baïrám Páshá’s time, when I went outside the walls, it measured exactly 30,000 paces, or 87,000 builders’ cubits (mïmár arshúní).