Galata before Genoese
Located at the centre of
what would later become the "European Quarter" of the Ottoman capital
of Istanbul (Constantinople), Galata boasts a history as long and every bit as
fascinating as its neighbour across the Golden Horn.
Most people know Galata only as the Genoese trading port founded in the 13th century on the opposite shore of the Golden Horn from the Byzantine capital, Constantinople.
However we know from the archaeological record that the hill of Galata was settled from at least the time of ancient Greece.
While the historical record confirms that the district was subsequently under constant occupation through the Roman and Byzantine periods, right up until the arrival of the Italians in 1267.
The district of Sykai, as Galata was originally known was first mentioned by Greek Geographer Strabo who lived between 63 BC – c. AD 24. He described the district as being a hill covered in "marvellous" trees, many of them fig trees.
Later, writing around 196 CE, another Greek geographer Dionysius of Byzantium (Denys de Byzance) described how Mégariens, Greek settlers, had established settlements in Sykai and the surrounding districts and built temples there.
Those surrounding districts some of which were later enclosed within the expanding walls of Galata, he named as Métopon (modern day Tophane), Palinormicon (Salipazar) and Bolos (Kurşunlu Mahzen) and Krinidès (probably modern day Kasımpaşa).
Later on in 1857/60 Otto Frick in his article and on his map of Constantinople and the Bosphorus, updated and identified Meizon in Kasimpasa vallée, Metophon in Cihangir, and Sykai (Sykidès) at Mumhane...
Remarquable places of Galata before the middle age:
The Sainte Irène church (of Galata) : Nicéphore Calliste tell us it was built in the II century and was near to the sea, probably transformed from a pagan temple and located under Arab Cami (Dominican church of Saint Paul transformed to Mosque in 1476)
Bolos : district probably the actual Karakoy, described by Denys by seaside of Mumhane and was used in antiquity as a direct sea port, also used in middle age then at Ottoman time...the customs were located there...At the corner of the land there was a temple for Diane Lucifère and a Venus temple, and two churches (Sainte Claire and Photini) probably located inside the later Byzantine castle (see Déthier map).
Ostéodès : was a place to fish and trade oysters and was located near Tophane, a street called çoplük iskelesi Caddesi (rubbish street) is located near this place...
Apollon temple : probably located at the place of Saint Georges church (see Belin)
Monuments in Sykai : "Descriptio urbis" dated from beginning of V century, tells us about the monuments of the important district...there was 2 churches, a thermal complex (Honorius), a forum, a theatre, the main gate, 430 houses, 5 privates bath, a public well, 4 bakeries... Emperor Justinien build a palace and named then location as Justinianopolis. The buildings were not all inside Galata, like the Kastellion or Phrourion who was on the promontery corner of the golden horn, under Yeralti Camisi, galata; this tower was built in V century by "Anastase le Dicore" and was here to protect the area.
Cimetery around Galata : there was a Byzanthium graveyard all aroud the hill, especially in Saint Pierre place where numerous tomb where find, also tombs stones where find near Arab Cami, then after the last citywall of the geovese city was built, tombs were found at Lulecihendek and Sishane...some grec tomb were find (Bellin 1877) under Saint Trinité church (Surp Yerrortutyun) in Pera/ Istiklal/Odakule at 4m deep!...in 2017 other tombs were found very nearby, in the basement of the society of Italian workers (Deva çikmez sokak).
Water cistern and aqueducts : needs of water before XIII century were covered by numerous wells, and some cistern like the open one inside Saint-Benoit complex; but a canal had to be constructed to bring water to Galata (see description of Gylles).
City walls of Genoese Galata : when it was build they were using all antic blocks from the place and probably some ancient buildings were destroyed...many fragment of stela and inscriptions were found inside the wall.
When Genoese city walls were partly destroyed in 1864, the archeologist found 3 inscriptions with letters of 25 cm hight ! confirmed that a big monument, from 391 after C, was probably situated near the 3rd tower of Buyuk Hendek sokak.
In Zia sokak (rue des Postes), a big marble base was found dated from I century Before C...
In Kasimpasa, was found a column named "Pompée" and a big antic complex, near Sainte Theodosie church (destroyed), seen around 1578 by historian Leunclavius, then located by Scarlatos near Feizi Pasha mosque, and seen during Libenau travells inside the Ottoman Arsenal near Kasimpasha mosque...
Articles
used :
Dallegio d'Alessio E. Galata et ses environs dans l'antiquité. In: Revue des études byzantines, tome 4, 1946. pp. 218-238. doi : 10.3406/rebyz.1946.940
http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/rebyz_0766-5598_1946_num_4_1_940
Otto Frick, 'Das Plataeische Weihgeschenk zu Konstantinopel', Jahrbucher fur classische Philologie 3. Supplementband, Heft 4 (1857-60) 499-513.
See useful authors:
Denys de Byzance, Pierre Gylles, Banduri, Belin, Mordtmann, Schneider, Janin, Dethier, Dalleggio d'Alessio, Djelal Essad, Mambury…
See also maps in our Blog...
Most people know Galata only as the Genoese trading port founded in the 13th century on the opposite shore of the Golden Horn from the Byzantine capital, Constantinople.
However we know from the archaeological record that the hill of Galata was settled from at least the time of ancient Greece.
While the historical record confirms that the district was subsequently under constant occupation through the Roman and Byzantine periods, right up until the arrival of the Italians in 1267.
The district of Sykai, as Galata was originally known was first mentioned by Greek Geographer Strabo who lived between 63 BC – c. AD 24. He described the district as being a hill covered in "marvellous" trees, many of them fig trees.
Later, writing around 196 CE, another Greek geographer Dionysius of Byzantium (Denys de Byzance) described how Mégariens, Greek settlers, had established settlements in Sykai and the surrounding districts and built temples there.
Those surrounding districts some of which were later enclosed within the expanding walls of Galata, he named as Métopon (modern day Tophane), Palinormicon (Salipazar) and Bolos (Kurşunlu Mahzen) and Krinidès (probably modern day Kasımpaşa).
Later on in 1857/60 Otto Frick in his article and on his map of Constantinople and the Bosphorus, updated and identified Meizon in Kasimpasa vallée, Metophon in Cihangir, and Sykai (Sykidès) at Mumhane...
Remarquable places of Galata before the middle age:
The Sainte Irène church (of Galata) : Nicéphore Calliste tell us it was built in the II century and was near to the sea, probably transformed from a pagan temple and located under Arab Cami (Dominican church of Saint Paul transformed to Mosque in 1476)
Bolos : district probably the actual Karakoy, described by Denys by seaside of Mumhane and was used in antiquity as a direct sea port, also used in middle age then at Ottoman time...the customs were located there...At the corner of the land there was a temple for Diane Lucifère and a Venus temple, and two churches (Sainte Claire and Photini) probably located inside the later Byzantine castle (see Déthier map).
Ostéodès : was a place to fish and trade oysters and was located near Tophane, a street called çoplük iskelesi Caddesi (rubbish street) is located near this place...
Apollon temple : probably located at the place of Saint Georges church (see Belin)
Monuments in Sykai : "Descriptio urbis" dated from beginning of V century, tells us about the monuments of the important district...there was 2 churches, a thermal complex (Honorius), a forum, a theatre, the main gate, 430 houses, 5 privates bath, a public well, 4 bakeries... Emperor Justinien build a palace and named then location as Justinianopolis. The buildings were not all inside Galata, like the Kastellion or Phrourion who was on the promontery corner of the golden horn, under Yeralti Camisi, galata; this tower was built in V century by "Anastase le Dicore" and was here to protect the area.
Cimetery around Galata : there was a Byzanthium graveyard all aroud the hill, especially in Saint Pierre place where numerous tomb where find, also tombs stones where find near Arab Cami, then after the last citywall of the geovese city was built, tombs were found at Lulecihendek and Sishane...some grec tomb were find (Bellin 1877) under Saint Trinité church (Surp Yerrortutyun) in Pera/ Istiklal/Odakule at 4m deep!...in 2017 other tombs were found very nearby, in the basement of the society of Italian workers (Deva çikmez sokak).
Water cistern and aqueducts : needs of water before XIII century were covered by numerous wells, and some cistern like the open one inside Saint-Benoit complex; but a canal had to be constructed to bring water to Galata (see description of Gylles).
City walls of Genoese Galata : when it was build they were using all antic blocks from the place and probably some ancient buildings were destroyed...many fragment of stela and inscriptions were found inside the wall.
When Genoese city walls were partly destroyed in 1864, the archeologist found 3 inscriptions with letters of 25 cm hight ! confirmed that a big monument, from 391 after C, was probably situated near the 3rd tower of Buyuk Hendek sokak.
In Zia sokak (rue des Postes), a big marble base was found dated from I century Before C...
In Kasimpasa, was found a column named "Pompée" and a big antic complex, near Sainte Theodosie church (destroyed), seen around 1578 by historian Leunclavius, then located by Scarlatos near Feizi Pasha mosque, and seen during Libenau travells inside the Ottoman Arsenal near Kasimpasha mosque...
Dallegio d'Alessio E. Galata et ses environs dans l'antiquité. In: Revue des études byzantines, tome 4, 1946. pp. 218-238. doi : 10.3406/rebyz.1946.940
http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/rebyz_0766-5598_1946_num_4_1_940
Otto Frick, 'Das Plataeische Weihgeschenk zu Konstantinopel', Jahrbucher fur classische Philologie 3. Supplementband, Heft 4 (1857-60) 499-513.
See useful authors:
Denys de Byzance, Pierre Gylles, Banduri, Belin, Mordtmann, Schneider, Janin, Dethier, Dalleggio d'Alessio, Djelal Essad, Mambury…
See also maps in our Blog...