Gianghir, a Mosch so called, upon a hill at Fondaclee near Tophana.
In Constantinople there are several narrow streets of Trade, closed up with sheds and pent-houses, which I suppose were in use before the Greeks lost their Empire, and are the same with the σκεπαστοὶ καὶ φρακτοὶ δρόμοι in Chrysaloras his[13]Epistle. But besides these places, several Trades have their distant quarters. The streets are raised for the most part on each side for the greater convenience.
Not far from Suleimania is the house of the Aga or General of the Janizaries, which so often changes its Masters.
Pompey's pillar, as the Franks erroneously call it, is of the Corinthian order, curiously wrought, about eighteen foot in height and three in Diameter.
Beshiktash, a Village within three or four miles of Constantinople towards the Bosphorus, where lies buried the famous Pirate Ariadin, whom the Christian Writers call Barbarossa, who built here a handsome Mosch, having two rows of Pillars at the entrance. The Captain Bassa usually, before he puts to Sea with his Armata of Gallies, visits the Tomb of this fortunate Robber, who had made several thousand Christians Slaves, and makes his Prayers at the neighbouring Church for the good Success of his expedition.
They reckon in the City above a hundred publick Baths, every street almost affording one. They are esteemed works of great Piety and Charity; there being a continual use of them, not only upon the accompt of Religion, but of Health and Cleanliness. For their Diet being for the most part hot spiced meats in the Winter, and crude fruits in the Summer, their Liquor Fountain Water, or Coffee, to which we may add their lazy kind of Life (for walking is never used by them for digestion, or otherwise in the way of diversion) frequent bathing becomes necessary.
There are several receptacles of Water under Ground, and one particularly under the Church of Sancta Sophia, as I was informed; but I did not think it worth my curiosity to descend into it. These were of great use to the poor Greeks in the last fatal Siege; but the Turks are so secure, that they do not think, that they deserve either cost or pains to keep the Waters sweet, or the cisterns in repair.
The Aqueducts, which answer to those glorious Aqueducts, near Pyrgos, and convey the water to the great cistern near Sultan Selim's Mosch, are in that part of Constantinople, which lies between the Mosch of Mahomet the Great and Shaxade.
The Turks began to besiege Constantinople on the fifth of April, and took it the twenty ninth of May on Whitsun Tuesday morning 1453. or as the Turks reckon in the year 857. of the Hegira, or flight of Mahomet, the 22 day of the first Jomad.
The Chappel, where Ejub Sultan is interred, at whose Head and Feet I observed great wax Candles, is enclosed with latten wire Grates, for the better accommodation of such religious Turks as come to pay their respect to the memory of this great Musulman Saint. In the middle of the Area there is raised a building sustained by excellent marble Pillars, ascended by two several pair of stairs, where the new Emperor is inaugurated, and where he usually goes in Biram-time.