A Geographical Description of All the Countries in the Known World, Part 1 · Subpart 190 – Subpart 191
The City of Constantinople described.
Constantinople, was built by Constantine the Great; It stands on a cape of land, near the entrance of the Bosphorus: Its in form triangular: On the East side washed with the Sea; on the North with the Haven: and the West side joynes to the Continent. Its walled with brick, and stone intermixed orderly, having twenty four Gates, and Posterns: Its about thirteen miles in Circumference. The world hardly affords a more delicate object, if beheld from the Sea, or adjoyning Mountains. The lofty, and beautiful Cypresse-trees are so intermixed with the buildings, that it seems to present a City in a wood to the pleased beholders. Its built on seven hills, whose aspiring heads are crowned with magnificent Mosques, or Churches, all of white Marble, round in form; and coupled above; being finished on the top with guilded spires, that reflect the Sun-beams with a marvellous splendor: some having two; some four, and some six adjoyning Turrets, exceeding high, and slender: Tarrast aloft on the outside, like the main top of a ship, in several places equally distant, whence their Priests with elated voices (for they use no bells) call the people together to their Mahometan service.
When Constantine first built this City, hee enclosed it with a wall, that for length, fairness, and thickness, was one of the famousest in the world, every stone being cemented together with brass couplets, that the whole wall seemed to bee but one stone: Hee erected also many high Towers, built many sumptuous Temples, and adorned it with infinit more magnificent buildings, both publick, and private: commanding also by publick Edict all Princes of the Empire, that each of them should build a Palace or some other sumptuous, and splendid Monument there: Hee also brought from Rome divers memorable Antiquities, as the Palladium of Troy: the high Pillar of Porsido, which hee caused to bee erected in a fit place, by which hee set Apollo's brazen Image of an unmeasurable bigness, having his own name ingraven thereon: Amongst other glorious buildings was the proud Palace of the publick Library, wherein were one hundred and twenty thousand choice written Books: in the midst whereof were the guts of a Dragon, above one hundred and twenty foot long, on which Homers Iliads were written in letters of gold: In diverse other parts of the City were very rare things, as the Nymphs Grove: the Market-place of mettal: the famous Images of Juno, Minerva, Venus, &c. with infinite other varieties: so that strangers which saw it, being full of admiration were astonished at the beauty of it, judging it a dwelling meet for the Gods, rather than an habitation for earthly Emperours.
But now Time, with her Iron teeth, and the many changes which have happened, have quite altered the face of Constantinople: So that now upon the Hill, whereon the Imperial Palace once stood, there are kept Elephants, Panthers, and other wild Beasts in the ruines of it. On the second Hill whereon stood the Palace of the Patriarches, in which were buried in chests of fine Marble, most of the Christian Emperors, a Mosque is now erected. Upon the third Hill is the Sepulchre of the Great Mahomet, that won the City, of a marvellous greatness, and magnificence, surrounded with one hundred houses covered with Lead, made to receive strangers of any Nation, where themselves, servants, and horses, may remain three dayes on free cost: Sultan Mahomet leaving two hundred thousand Ducats revenue per annum, to maintain the same. The fourth Hill hath on it the Church, and Sepulchre of Sultan Selim in the same form, and order as the other. The fifth hath the Church and Sepulchre of Bajazet, with a great and spacious Piazza about it. The sixth hath the Church and Sepulchre of Solyman the Magnificent, which in greatness, workmanship, Marble Pillars, and riches more than Kingly, passeth all the rest, and deserves to bee matched with the seven wonders of the world: The seventh contained the sumptuous Temple of Sancta Sophia, which deserves a particular description by it self.
The Temple of Sancta Sophia Described.
The Temple of Sancta Sophia standing upon one of these hills, exceeds not only all the rest, but all the most stately fabricks in the world: the principal part thereof riseth in an Ovall, surrounded with pillars admirable for their matter, proportion, and workmanship: Over those are others, through which ample Galleries curiously paved, and arched above, have their prospect into the Temple: the roof is compact, and adorned with Mosaick painting; which is composed of little square peices of Marble, gilded, and coloured according to the place they are to assume in the Figure or ground, which set together, as if imbossed, present an unexpressible statelinesse, and are of marvellous durance. The sides, and floor of the whole Church are laid with excellent Marble: it is vaulted underneath, containing large Cisternes which are replenished with water from an Aquaeduct: within on the left hand is a Pillar covered with Copper, which ever sweats: the doors are curiously cut through, and plated. It was from East to West two hundred and sixty foot long, and in height one hundred and fourscore; and hath contained at once, six and thirty thousand Turks.
In the middest of it there are pillars of gold and silver, huge Candlesticks, Lanthornes, Lamps, and other Ornaments of gold and silver, whereof the worth is inestimable. It had in it one hundred gates, and was above a mile in compass.