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Itis recorded byStephanusandPausanias, thatByzantium, now call’dConstantinople, was first founded byByzasthe Son ofNeptuneandCeroessa, or by a Person namedByzes, Admiral of theFleet of theMegarians, who transplanted a Colony thither. I am of Opinion, that this was the same Person withByzas. For had it taken its Name fromByzes, this City had more properly been call’dByzeumthanByzantium.Philostratus, in the Life ofMarcusa Sophist ofByzantium, calls the Admiral of that Fleet by the Name ofByzas, when he informs us, thatMarcus(whom he would have descended from the ancient Family ofByzas) made a Voyage toMegara, and was exceedingly in Favour with the People there, who had formerly sent over a Colony toByzantium. This People, when they had consultedApollowhere they should found a City, received in Answer from the Oracle,That they should seek out a Situation opposite to the Land of the Blind. The People ofChalcedonwere given to understand by this mystical Answer, that tho’ they had made a Landing there before, and had an Opportunity of viewing the commodious Situation of that and other Places adjacent, yet at last had pitch’d upon the most improper Place of all. As to what is mention’d byJustin, thatByzantiumwas first founded byPausaniasaSpartan, I take it to import no more than this; that they who affirm thatSyca, at present call’dGalata, was first founded by theGenoese, as wasConstantinoplebyConstantine, their Meaning was, that they either rebuilt or enlarged those Places, and not that they were the first Founders of them. For when I find it inHerodotus, that upon the Invasion ofThracebyDarius, the People ofByzantiumandChalcedonwere not in the least Expectation of the Arrival of thePhœnicianFleet, that having quitted their Cities, they retired into the Inland Shores of theBlack Sea, and there foundedMesembria, and that thePhœniciansburntByzantium, andChalcedon; I am of Opinion, that theLacedæmonians, under the Command ofPausanias, sent a Colony thither, and rebuiltByzantium, which was before either a Colony of theMegarians, or the Seat of the Subjects ofByzasthe Son ofNeptune, its first Founder.Eustathiusassures us, that it was anciently calledAntoninafromAntoninus Bassianus, the Son ofSeverus Cæsar, but that it passed under that Name no longer than his Father liv’d, and that many Years after it was call’dNew Rome, andConstantinople, andAnthusa, orFlorentia, byConstantine the Great; upon which Account it is call’d byPriscianNew Constantinopolitan Rome. It was foretold by the Oracle, that its Inhabitants should be a successful and flourishing People, but a constant Course of Prosperity did not always attend them. ’Twas with great Difficulty that this City first began to make a Figure in the World, in the Struggles it underwent with theThracians,Bithynians, andGallogrecians, and in paying a yearly Tribute of eighty Talents to theGaulswho govern’dAsia. ’Twas with greater Contests that it rose to higher Degrees of Eminency, being frequently harass’d, not only with foreign, but domestick Enemies. Mighty Changes it underwent, being sometimes under the popular, sometimes under the aristocratical Form of Government, widely extending its Conquests inEuropeandAsia, but especially inBithynia. ForPhilarcusobserves in the sixth Book of hisHistory, that theByzantianshadthe same Power over theBithynians, as theLacedæmonianshad over theirHelotæ. This Commonwealth had so great a Veneration for thePtolemæiKings ofÆgypt, that to one of them nam’dPhiladelphus, they pay’d divine Honours, and erected a Temple to him, in the Sight of their City; and so great a Regard had they for theRomanName, that they assisted them against the King ofMacedon, to whom, as degenerating from his Predecessors, they gave the nickname ofPseudo-Philippus. I need not mention the powerful Succours they sent againstAntiochus,Perseus,Aristonicus, and the Assistance they gaveAntonius, when engaged in a War against the Pyrates. This City alone stood the Brunt ofMithridates’s whole Army landed in their Territories, and at last, though with great Difficulty, bravely repell’d the Invader. It assisted at onceSylla,LucullusandPompey, when they lay’d Siege to any Town or Fortification, which might be a Security to their auxiliary Forces in their Passage, either by Sea or Land, or might prove a convenient Port, either for Exportation or Importation of Provision. Joining its Forces at last withNigeragainstSeverus, it became subject to thePerinthians, and was despoil’d of all the Honours of its Government. All its stately Bagnio’s and Theatres, its strong and lofty Walls, (built of square Stone, much of the same Hardness with that of a Grindstone, not brought fromMiletus, asPolitianusfancies) with which it was fortify’d, were entirely ruin’d. I say, that this Stone was cut out of no Quarry, either of ancientMiletus, orMiletopolis; becauseMiletusliesat too great a Distance from it, andMiletopolis, which is seated near the RiverRhyndacus, is no ways famous for Quarries. I saw, by the By, this last City, adjoining to the Lake ofApolloniatus, entirely demolish’d, retaining at present its Name only. The Walls ofByzantium, asHerodianrelates, were cemented with so thin a Mortar, that you would by no means think them a conjointed Building, but one entire Stone. They who saw them in Ruins inHerodian’s Time, were equally surpriz’d at those who built, and those who defaced them.Dion, whomZonarasquotes, reports, that the Walls ofByzantiumwere exceeding strong, the Copings of which were built with Stones three Foot thick, cramp’d together with Links of Brass; and that it was so firmly compacted inwardly, that the whole Building seem’d to be one solid Wall. It is adorn’d with numerous and large Towers, having Gates in them placed one above another. The Walls on the side of the Continent are very lofty; towards the Sea, not quite so high. It had two Ports within the Walls, secured with Booms, as was their Entrance by two high Forts. I had then no Opportunity of consultingXenophonin the Original; however I was of Opinion from theLatinTranslation, that a Passage in that Author, which is as follows, has a Relation to one of those Ports:When the Soldiers, says he,had passed over fromChrysopolistoByzantium,and were deny’d Entrance into the City, they threaten’d to force the Gates, unless the Inhabitants open’d them of their own Accord; and immediately hastening to the Sea, they scaled the Walls, and leap’d into the Town, hard by the Sides of the Port, which theGreekscallχηλαὶ, thatis by the Piles; because they jet out into the Sea, winding into the Figure of a Crab’s Claw. But afterwards meeting with that Author inGreek, I found no Mention there of the Port, but onlyτὴν χηλὴν τοῦ τείχους, that is, nearthe Copings of the Wall, or rather the Buttresses that support it. Had it been in the Originalχηλὴ τοῦ λιμένος, it ought rather to have been translated theLeg, or theArm.DionysiusaByzantianmentions, that the first Winding of theBosporuscontains three Ports. TheByzantiansin their time had five hundred Ships, some of which were two-oar’d Galleys; some had Rudders both at Stem and Stern, and had also their Pilates at each, and two Sets of Hands aboard, so that either in an Engagement, or upon a Retreat, there was no Necessity for them to tack about. TheByzantians, both in the Life-time and after the Death ofNiger, when besieged for the Space of three Years, acted Wonders; for they not only took the Enemies Ships as they sail’d by them, but dragg’d their three-oar’d Galleys from their Moorings; for diving under Water they cut their Anchors, and by fastening small Ropes from the Stern round their Ancles, they hall’d off their Ships, which seem’d to swim merely by the natural Tyde of the Sea. Nor were theByzantiansthe first who practis’d this Stratagem, but theTyriansfrequently, under a Pretence of gathering Shell-Fish, would play the same Trick; whichAlexanderhad no sooner discover’d, than he gave Orders that the Anchors of his whole Fleet, instead of Cables, should be fasten’d to Iron Chains. In this Siege theByzantiansbeing reduced to greatStraits, still refused to surrender, making the best Defence they could with Timber taken from their Houses. They also breeded Cables for their Ships out of their Womens Hair; nay sometimes they threw down Statues and Horses upon the Heads of their Enemies. At last their Provision being entirely spent, they took up with Hydes soften’d in Water; and these being gone, they were brought to the extreme Necessity of eating one another: At last, being wholly reduced by Famine, they were forced to a Surrender. TheRomansgave no Quarter to the Soldiers, nor the principal Men of the City. The whole Town, with all its stately Walls in which it glory’d, was levelled with the Ground; and all itsTheatresandBagnio’swere demolish’d even to the small Compass of a single Street.Severuswas highly pleased with so noble a Conquest. He took away the Freedom of the City, and having deprived it of the Dignity of a Commonwealth, he confiscated the Goods of the Inhabitants; and afterwards making it tributary, he gave it, with all the neighbouring Countrey, into the Hands of thePerinthians. Entering the City afterwards, and seeing the Inhabitants coming to meet him, with Olive-branches in their Hands begging Quarter, and excusing themselves for making so long a Defence, he forbore the Slaughter; yet left thePerinthiansin the Possession of the Town, allowing them nevertheless a Theatre, gave Orders for building them aPorticofor Hunting, and aHippodrom, to which he adjoin’d someBagnio’s, which he built near the Temple ofJupiter, who was calledZeuxippus. Healso rebuilt theStrategium; and all the Works that were begun bySeverusin his Life-time, were finish’d by his SonAntoninus.
THE present Inhabitants ofConstantinopletell you, that OldByzantiumstood within the Compass of the first Hill in the Imperial Precinct, where theGrand Seignor’s Seraglionow stands: but I am of Opinion, from what follows it will appear, that it was of a larger Extent. Our modern Writers describe its Situation thus; that it began at the Wall of the Citadel, stretched itself to the Tower ofEugenius, and that it rose gradually up to theStrategium, theBagnioofAchilles, and theUrbicion. From thence it pass’d on to theChalcopratia, and theMiliarium Aureum, where there was anotherUrbicionof theByzantians: Thence it lengthen’d to the Pillars ofZonarius, from whence, after a gentle Descent, it winded round by theManganæand theBagnio’sofArcadius, up to theAcropolis. I am inclinable to credit all these Writers, excepting onlyEustathius, who tells us, that theAtheniansmade use ofByzantium, a small City, to keep their Treasure in. ButZosimus, a more ancient Historian, describesByzantiumafter this Manner:It was seated, says he,on a Hill, which took up part of theIsthmus,and was bounded by a Bay calledCheras,and thePropontis.Atthe End of thePortico’sbuilt bySeverusthe Emperor, it had a Gate set up, upon his Reconciliation with the Inhabitants, for giving Protection toNigerhis Enemy. The Wall ofByzantiumextended itself from the Eastern Part of the City to the Temple ofVenus,and the Sea over-againstChrysopolis:from the North it descended to the Dock, and so onward to the Sea, which faces theBlack Sea,and through which you sail into it. This, says he, was the ancient Extent of the City; butDionysius, a more ancient Writer thanZosimus, as appears by his Account, which was written before its Destruction bySeverus, tells us, thatByzantiumcontain’d in Compass at least forty Furlongs, which is a much greater Extent than the preceding Writers reported it.Herodianinforms us, thatByzantium, in the Time ofSeverus, was the greatest City in allThrace.
IT is recorded byZonaras, thatConstantinebeing inclinable to build a City, and to give it his own Name, at first pitch’d uponSardicusa Field ofAsia; afterwards, upon the PromontorySigeum, and last of all uponChalcedonandByzantium, for thatPurpose.Georgius Cedrinusis of Opinion, that he first pitch’d uponThessalonica, and after he had lived there two Years, being wonderfully taken with the Delightfulness of the Place, he built the most magnificent Temples,Bagnio’sandAqueducts; but being interrupted in his great Designs by the Plague which raged there, he was obliged to leave it, and passing away forChalcedon, (formerly overthrown by thePersians, but then upon rebuilding) he was directed by the Eagles frequently carrying the small Stones of the Workmen from thence toByzantium, whereConstantinopleought to be built.Zonarasis of the same Opinion; and only differs as to the Story of the Stones, and says, that they were small Ropes which they used in Building. But this seems to be a Fable taken out ofDionysiusaByzantianWriter, who tells us, thatByzashad been the Founder ofByzantium, in a Place call’dSemystra, seated at the Mouth of the RiversCydarusandBarbysa, had not a Crow, by snatching a Piece of the Sacrifice out of the Flames, and carrying it to a Promontory of theBosporus, directedByzasto foundByzantiumin that Place. ButConstantinedoes not seem to me to have been so oversighted as were the ancientChalcedonians, for which they stand recorded in the Histories of all Ages. Nay, ’tis distinguishable by any Man of a tolerable Judgment, thatByzantiumwas a much more commodious Situation for theRomanEmpire than that ofChalcedon. The far more ancient Historians, among whom areSozomenofSalamisandZosimus, who wrote in the Reign ofTheodosius the Less, judgedmore rationally on this Occasion. They tell us, without taking any Notice ofSardica,ThessalonicaorChalcedon, thatConstantinedebating with himself, where he might build a City, and call it by his own Name, equal in Glory and Magnificence to that ofRome, had found out a convenient Situation for that Purpose, between oldTroyand theHellespont; that he had lay’d the Foundations, and raised part of the Wall to a considerable Height, which is to be seen at this Day on the PromontorySigeum, whichPlinycallsAjantium; because the Sepulchre ofAjax, which was in that Place, hung over the Chops of theHellespont: They tell you farther, that anciently some Ships were station’d there, and that theGrecians, when at War with theTrojans, pitch’d their Tents in that Place: ThatConstantineafterwards came into an Opinion, thatByzantiumwas a properer Situation; that three hundred and sixty two Years after the Reign ofAugustus, he rebuilt, enlarged and fortified it with great and strong Walls, and by an Edict engraven on a Stone Pillar, and publickly fix’d up in theStrategium, near his ownEquestrianStatue, order’d it to be calledNova Roma Constantinopolitana. Upon a Computation made, that the Natives were not a sufficient Number to people the City, he built several fine Houses in and about theForums, of which he made a Present to the Senators and other Men of Quality, which he brought with him fromRomeand other Nations. He built also severalForums, some as an Ornament, others for the Service of the City. TheHippodromhe beautify’d with Temples, Fountains,Portico’s, and a Senate-House,and allow’d its Members equal Honours and Privileges with those ofRome. He also built himself a Palace, little inferior to the Royal one atRome. In short, he was so ambitious to make it rivalRomeitself in all its Grandeur and Magnificence, that at length, asSozomenassures us, it far surpassed it, both in the Number of its Inhabitants, and its Affluence of all Kinds.EunapiusaSardian, no mean Writer, nay though an Enemy toConstantine, describes the vast Extent ofConstantinople, in these Words:Constantinople, says he,formerly calledByzantium,allow’d the ancientAtheniansa Liberty of importing Corn in great Quantities; but at present not all the Ships of Burthen fromÆgypt, Asia, Syria, Phœnicia,and many other Nations, can import a Quantity sufficient for the Support of those People, whomConstantine,by unpeopling other Cities, has transported thither.Zosimusalso, though otherwise no very good Friend toConstantineon the score of his Religion, yet frankly owns, that he wonderfully enlarged it; and that theIsthmuswas enclosed by a Wall from Sea to Sea, to the Distance of fifteen Furlongs beyond the Walls of oldByzantium. But to what Extent soeverConstantinemight enlarge its Bounds, yet the Emperors who succeeded him have extended them farther, and have enclosed the City with much wider Walls than those built byConstantine, and permitted them to build so closely one House to another, and that even in their Market Places, that they could not walk the Streets without Danger, they were so crowded with Men and Cattle. Upon this Account it was, that a great part of the Sea which runs round the City was in some Places dry’d up, where by fixing Postsin a circular Manner, and building Houses upon them, they made their City large enough for the Reception of an infinite Multitude of People. Thus doesZosimusexpress himself as to the vast Extent of this City, as it stood in the Time either ofArcadiusorTheodosius.Agathiussays, that in the Time ofJustinianthe Buildings were so close and crowded together, that it was very difficult to see the Sky by looking through the Tops of them. The large Compass of this City beforeJustinian’s Time, we may in some measure collect from anancient Description of the City, by an unknown but seemingly a very faithful Writer. He assures us, that the Length of the City from thePorta Aureato the Sea Shore in a direct Line, was fourteen thousand and seventy five Feet, and that it was six thousand one hundred and fifty Feet in Breadth. And yet we cannot collect plainly fromProcopius, that in the Reign ofJustiniantheBlachernæwere enclosed within the Walls, although before his Time the City was enlarged byTheodosius the Less, who asZonarasand others write, gave Orders toCyrusthe Governour of the City for that Purpose. This Man, with great Diligence and wonderful Dispatch, built a Wall over the Continent from Sea to Sea, in sixty Days. The Inhabitants astonish’d that so immense a Work should be finish’d in so small a Time, cry’d out in a publick manner in the Theatre, in the Presence ofTheodosiusthe Emperor,Constantine built this City, butCyrusrebuilt it. This drew on him the Envy of his Prince, and render’d him suspected; so that being shaved by the Command ofTheodosius, against his Inclinations,he was constituted Bishop ofSmyrna. The following Inscriptions made toConstantinus, and carv’d over the Gate ofXylocerumandRhegium, take Notice of him in these Verses.
Over the Gate ofXylocerum(XylocercumorXylocricum) inByzantium, thus:
These Walls byTheodosius’Royal Will,AndConstantinusPrefect of the East,In sixty Days, surprizing Speed! were built.
These Walls byTheodosius’Royal Will,AndConstantinusPrefect of the East,In sixty Days, surprizing Speed! were built.
These Walls byTheodosius’Royal Will,AndConstantinusPrefect of the East,In sixty Days, surprizing Speed! were built.
These Walls byTheodosius’Royal Will,
AndConstantinusPrefect of the East,
In sixty Days, surprizing Speed! were built.
Over the Gate ofRhegiumis this Inscription:
GreatConstantinus,Prefect of the East,In sixty Days this stately Building finish’d.
GreatConstantinus,Prefect of the East,In sixty Days this stately Building finish’d.
GreatConstantinus,Prefect of the East,In sixty Days this stately Building finish’d.
GreatConstantinus,Prefect of the East,
In sixty Days this stately Building finish’d.
The Reason whyConstantineorder’dByzantiumto be call’dNew Rome, orQueenof theRoman Empire, is mention’d bySozomenand others; namely, that God appear’d by Night toConstantine, and advised him to build a City atByzantiumworthy his own Name. Some say, that asJulius Cæsar, upon a Plot form’d against him, judg’d it necessary to remove toAlexandriaorTroy, strippingItalyat the same time of every thing that was valuable, and carrying off all the Riches of theRomanEmpire, leaving the Administration in the Hands of his Friends; so it is said ofConstantine, that perceiving himself to be obnoxious to the People ofRome, having drain’d the City of all its Wealth, went over at first toTroy, and afterwards toByzantium.Zosimus, an implacable Enemy to the Christian Name, alledges an execrable Piece of Villany, as the Cause of his Removal.Constantine, says he,when he had murder’dCrispus,and had been guilty of otherflagrant Crimes, desiring of the Priests an Expiation for them, their Answer was, That his Offences were so many and enormous, that they knew not which way to atone for them; telling him at the same time, that there was a certainÆgyptianwho came fromSpaintoRome;who, if he had an Opportunity of speaking to him, could procure him an Expiation, if he would establish in his Dominions this Belief of theChristians,namely, That Men of the most profligate Lives, immediately upon their Repentance, obtain’d Remission of Sins. Constantinereadily closed with this Offer, and his Sins were pardon’d. At the Approach of the Festival, on which it was usual with him and his Army to go up to the Capitol, to perform the customary Rites of their Religion; Constantinefearful to be present at that Solemnity, as being warn’d to the contrary by a Dream, which was sent him from theÆgyptian,and not attending the holy Sacrifice, highly disgusted the Senate, and the whole Body of the People ofRome.But unable to bear the Curses and Scandal they threw upon him on that Account, he went in Search of some Place or other equally famous withRome,where he might build him a Palace, and which he might make the Seat of theRomanEmpire, and that at last he had discovered a Place betweenTroasand OldIlium,fit for that Purpose; and that there he built him a Palace, laid the Foundations of a City, and raised part of a Wall for its Defence: But that afterwards disapproving the Situation, he left his Works unfinish’d, and settled atByzantium;and being wonderfully taken with the Agreeableness of the Place, he judged it in all respects to be very commodiousfor an Imperial Seat. Thus farZosimus, a great Favourite ofJulianthe Apostate, and an inveterate Enemy toConstantineon the account of his Religion; to whose Sentiments I have so perfect an Aversion, that I cannot give the least Credit to those Enormities he charges him with, and of which he had the greatest Abhorrence, as being a Prince of remarkable Clemency and Goodness, which I am capable of proving abundantly, but that it would prove too great a Digression in the present History. The Truth of it is, thatSozomenandEvagriusboth have sufficiently refuted these malicious Reflections. In these Calumnies, I say, I entirely differ fromZosimus, yet in his Description of the Extent, and Compass of the City, I am wholly in his Opinion; who, though an Enemy toConstantine, yet is forced to acknowledge him to have built so large, so noble, so magnificent a City. I am the more induced to give Credit to his History in this Respect, because he lived many Ages nearer to the Time ofConstantinethan our modernMonks, who, in the Books they have written ofConstantinople, give the following Account of it; namely, thatConstantinebuilt a Wall from the Tower ofEugenius(which was the Boundary of oldByzantium) to St.Anthony’s Church, and the Church of theBlessed Virgin, call’dRabdon, quite up to theExacionion; and that at a Mile’s Distance, it passed on to the old Gates of the Church of St.JohntheBaptist, stretching itself farther to the Cistern ofBonus, from whence it extended itself to theArmation, and so winded round to St.Anthony’s Church again. I should give my self the Trouble to examine thisAccount, but that I know the Authors are so fabulous, that they are no ways to be depended upon. But this I look upon to be an intolerable Blunder, that they place the Church of St.John Baptistwithin the Walls built byConstantine, whereas for many Years after his Death it continued without the City: Of which, and many other Errors, I shall take Notice in the following History.
THE Figure ofConstantinopleis triangular, the Base of which is that Part of it which lies Westward: The top Angle points to the East, where thePeninsulabegins. But both the Sides of this Triangle are not equal; for that Side which lies westward winds round the Angle of the Bay in the Figure of a Half-Moon. At a great Distance from thence, it winds about again from North to South. But the South Side of this Triangle veers about to such a Breadth, that if you should draw a strait Line from one Angle of it to the other, it would cut off a Creek, which, in the Middle of it, is at least a quarter of a Mile over. But that Side which faces the North, and is call’dCeras, the Bay or Horn, should you draw a strait Line over it from one Angle to another, it would cut off not only the whole Bay, but alsoa part ofGalata. For this Side inflects inwards in such a manner, that from each Point it circulates in the Form of a Bow, having two smaller Windings of the same Figure in the Middle of it, but lies inwardly into the Continent so far, that the two Horns or Ends of the Bow, which includes them, no ways intercept the Prospect of the Angles of the larger Arch. ’Tis upon this Account thatConstantinoplemay rather seem to be of a triarcular, than a triangular Figure. For right Angles never project beyond their Sides, nor do they inflect inwards. But all semicircular Figures are in a manner both convex and concave also. So that if these three Angles, so far as they project beyond the main Body of the City, were divided from it,Constantinoplewould form a square oblong Figure, little more than a Mile broad, and almost three times as long. But be that as it will, all are of Opinion, that this City ought to be look’d upon to be of a triangular Figure, because it has three Sides; one of which that faces thePropontis, and the other on the side of theThracianContinent, are of an equal Length; the third, adjoining to the Bay, is about a Mile shorter than the other two. This City is computed to be near thirteen Miles in Compass, althoughLaonicus Chalcondylus, in his History of theOttomans, assures us, thatConstantinoplecontain’d in Compass an hundred and eleven Furlongs; the Length of it, extending itself over the Promontory with six Hills, is no more than thirty Furlongs; but if the Figure of it was an equilateral Triangle, it would not be much above nine Miles in Circumference; and could we suppose its hilly Situation to be widen’dinto one large Plain, yet then it would not be so large in Compass as the Inhabitants generally reckon it,viz.eighteen Miles. It is observable, thatConstantinopledoes not contain more Bays of Building, as it is situate upon Hills, than it would if it were built upon a Plain; because you cannot so conveniently build upon a Declivity, as you can upon a Level. Nor does the Reason equally hold good, as to the Number of its Houses, and the Number of its Inhabitants. ForConstantinoplecan contain more Men as it is seated upon Hills, than it could if it were seated on a Plain. The Breadth of this City varies in several Places. From the East to the Middle of it, ’tis at least a Mile in Breadth, but in no Place broader than a Mile and a half. It divides itself afterwards into two Branches, where ’tis almost as broad as ’tis long. I can compare it, as to its Figure, to nothing more properly than to an Eagle stretching out his Wings, and looking obliquely to the left, upon whose Beak stands the first Hill, where is theGrand Seignor’sPalace. In his Eye stands the Church of St.Sophia; on the lower part of the Head is theHippodrom; upon his Neck are the second and third Hills, and the remaining part of the City fill up his Wings, and his whole Body.
Constantinopletakes up in Compass the wholePeninsula, which contains seven Hills, of which the eastern Angle of the City includes one, having its Rise at the Promontory, whichPlinycallsChrysoceras, andDionysiusaByzantian,Bosporium. The first Hill is divided from the second by a broad Valley; the Promontory ofBosporiumcontains the other six, extending itself from the Entrance of thePeninsulaon the East, full West with a continued Ridge, but somewhat convex’d, and hangs over the Bay. Six Hills and five Valleys shoot from the right Side of it, and ’tis divided only by the third and fifth Valleys on the left Side of it, which is all upon the Descent, and has only some small Hills and Vales, which are more steep than the Hills themselves. It has also two Windings which take their Rise from the Top of the first Hill, from whence it ascends by Degrees almost to another Winding, which begins from the Top of the third Hill, where sinking into a gentle Descent, it admits the Valley, which lies between the third and the fourth Hill. From thence it rises again with a moderate Ascent, and continues upon a Level westward almost to theUrbicion, where it rises again. The Plains adjoining to the Promontory differ as to their Level. Those that divide the Promontoryat the Top, and those at the Foot of it, are very uneven in many Places. The Plain at the Top of the first Hill is seven hundred Paces in Length, and two hundred in Breadth. Shooting hence, it rises almost insensibly to the Top of the second Hill, where ’tis five hundred Paces in Breadth, and is all upon the Descent to the Top of that Hill, where the second Valley, which is also shelving and very narrow, takes its Rise. On the third Hill the Plain is above six hundred Paces in Breadth, but somewhat more upon the Level at the Entrance of the third Valley, which is six hundred Paces broad. From hence you rise by a gentle Ascent to the Plain on the Top of the fourth Hill, which is not above two hundred Paces wide. On the fifth Hill it dilates itself to the Breadth of seven hundred Paces. On the Hill, from whence the fifth Valley takes its Rise, ’tis more narrow; and on the sixth Hill ’tis a little upon the Ascent again. As to the Plain, which extends itself between the Sea and the Bottom of thePromontory, that also is not so even in some Places as it is in others; for it is narrower under the Hills, in the Vales ’tis half as wide again. For winding itself from thePromontory, where it begins, over three Valleys, it is widen’d at that Distance into the Breadth of a thousand Paces, though at the Foot of the Hills it is not above an Acre, or a hundred and twenty Foot in Breadth, except at the Bottom of the third and fifth Hills, where ’tis very narrow, but extends itself over the fourth Valley both in Length and Breadth to a great Degree. At the Foot of the sixth Hill it contracts itself again, except at the Foot of two lesser Hills,situated behind the first and second Hills; one of which projects almost to the Sea, the other is at no great Distance from it. But to describeConstantinoplein a more easy and comprehensive Manner, I will give the Reader a particular Account of all its Hills and Vales, which indeed make a very lovely and agreeable Prospect. For the six Hills which shoot from thePromontory, (and which for their Likeness you might call Brothers) stand in so regular an Order, that neither of them intercepts the Prospect of the other; so that as you sail up the Bay, you see them all hanging over it in such a manner, that quite round the City you see before you both Sides of every one of them. The first of these Hills jets out to the East, and bounds the Bay; the second and third lie more inward to the South; the others lie more open to the North, so that at one View you have a full Prospect of them. The first lies lower than the second; the second than the third; the fourth, fifth and sixth are in some Places higher, in others somewhat lower than the third, which you may discover by the Level of the Aqueduct. That the first Hill is lower than the third and fourth, may be discover’d by the Tower which supports the Aqueduct, by which the Water is raised into the Air above fifty Foot high. To make this more intelligible, I will divide the City, as to the Length of it, from the Land’s Point on the Shore of theBosporus, to the Walls on the Neck of theIsthmus, and consider the Breadth of it, as it widens from thePropontisto the Bay calledCeras. The Reason why I divide the City, as to its Breadth, into six Parts, is the natural Situation ofthePromontory, which itself is divided into six Hills, with Valleys running between them. It was no great Difficulty to distinguish theRomanHills, because they were entirely disjoin’d by Valleys; but ’tis not so easy to distinguish those ofConstantinople, because they are conjoin’d at Top; and besides, the Backs of them do not project in so mountainous a manner as they do in the Front; so that I cannot better describe them, than by calling them a continued Ridge of Hills, divided each of them with Valleys. And therefore to proceed regularly, I shall first give the Reader a Description of the right Side of thePromontory, with its Hills and Vales, and then take Notice of the left Side of it, which stands behind them.
THE first Part of the Breadth of thePromontoryis the Front of it, which opening to the Distance of a thousand Paces Eastwards adjoins to the Chaps of theBosporus. For this Sea winds round the Back of thePromontoryin such a Manner, that from the Point where theBosporusis divided, to the Bay calledCeras, and the Land’s Point of that Sea, it extends itself from North to South to the Distance of fourteen Furlongs; and from thence to a farther Distance of four Furlongs, it winds round from the South-eastto the South-South-west, even to the Mouth of thePropontis, which joining with theBosporus, winds round the City to South-west, to the Distance of two Miles more. This Side of the Hill is bounded at the Bottom of it with a Plain of the same Breadth with itself, which is two hundred Paces. There rise upon the Plain some lesser Hills, which are not above four hundred Paces in Height. On the Top of the left Side of these Hills stands theHippodrom; on the right Side, which faces the South-west, is the Palace of theGrand Seignor. I might not improperly call it the Front of thePromontory, as being almost of an equal Ascent in all its Parts, having a Plain running along it, of an equal Length with itself; besides, it adjoins to the first Hill: I say, for these Reasons I might call it a part of the first Hill; but to understand it more distinctly, I shall treat of it by itself.
THE first Hill, extending itself from the South-east to the South-west, opens at the Entrance of it to the Breadth of thirty Paces; from thence it widens gradually, and so on, till at last ’tis almost as broad as ’tis long. It rises at the Nook of theIsthmus, which joins thePeninsulato the Continent. It projects itself in theForm of a Cymetar, or a Hawk’s Beak, and almost divides the Straits of theBosporus, and the Bay calledCeras. The whole Hill projects beyond the others almost to the Mouth of the Bay. ’Tis all upon a Descent, except the Top of it, where there’s a Plain which joins to the Plain of thePromontory. The lesser Eminences which stand upon it, and which face the East and the North, have a moderate Descent, others of them are more steep, so that in some Places you are obliged to climb them by Steps, but the tallest of them is not above four hundred Paces high. The Plain, at the Foot of this Hill, is very different. The Eastern Part of it is much widen’d by the Sea Shore, which jets out in a semicircular Manner. The Breadth of the South-east and northern Part of it is encreased by the Valley, which divides the first from the second Hill. The Plain on the Top of the Hill is about seven hundred Paces in Length. This Hill is not only fortified by Nature, as being encompassed on the East by theBosporus, on the North by the Bay ofCeras, and on the West by a cool Valley; but ’tis also inclosed within the Walls of theSeraglio, which are guarded with numberless Ramparts and Towers, which are equal in Strength to the Walls of the City. Towards the Foot of the Hill, and the Plain near the Sea, lie the Gardens of theGrand Seignor. The Imperial Palace, which is partly situate on the Top of the Hill, and partly on the Eminences below it, affords almost an unmeasurable Prospect, both by Sea and Land. In this Plain there are two ImperialAreasor Courts; the first of these Courts is seven hundred Paces long, and two hundredbroad. You pass through this into another inner Court, which is a Quadrangle two hundred Paces long, and has round it a magnificentPortico, supported with a Multitude of fine Marble Pillars curiously variegated. In the Middle of the Court there’s a fine shady Walk ofPlaneandCypress-Treesfor the Lawyers, and in the North Angle of the City is theForum Judiciale, which theOttomanscall theirDivan. On the South-east Side of a large Court stands the magnificent and stately Palace of theGrand Seignor, on the North Side of which are built many ImperialBagnio’s, and Kitchens with eight arch’d Roofs, rising like aCupola, in an hemispherical Manner; each of theseCupola’srepresenting the Figure of a little House, is nothing else but a Chimney with Windows, light at Top, made in the Likeness of a Lantern. There is a two-leav’d Iron Gate which lets you into the first Court, the Leaves of it, when opened, stand at twenty Paces Distance. The Porters orCapoocheesstand always upon Duty at these Gates. Just above them the Hill rises up to a smooth Level with the Ridge of thePromontory. The Porch or Gate-house is lined on each Side with glittering Armour, and shines, as do also the Jambs of the Gate with rich Marble. Over the Porch there rises a square Building cover’d with Lead, as are all the other Edifices of the Palace. There’s a Passage out of the first Court through another two-leav’d Gate into the second inner Court. This is the Station of theDrudging Porters. The Gate-house here also blazes with refulgent Arms. This Gate, without side of it, has nothing like a Porch, though withinside it has. ’Tis supported with ten Pillars of different Kinds of Marble; the Roof of it proudly glitters with Gold, and is beautify’d with the most rich and lively Colours ofPersianWork. At the third Gate, where the Entrance opens into theSeraglio, there are other Porters orCapoocheesattending. These are under the Command of theCapoochee-Basha, or Captain of the Porters, who is also Chamberlain to theGrand Seignor. No body is suffer’d to enter the Palace without his Permission, but the Servants and Officers of the Houshold, unless it be his Noblemen, who while he is sitting near the Door of theSeraglio, may freely enter to pay their Homage to him. All Ambassadors, when introduced into his Presence, are allow’d to kiss his Hand, who receives them sitting upon a low Couch, but curiously embroider’d, in a little Apartment built with Marble, adorn’d with Gold and Silver, and sparkling with Diamonds and precious Stones. This Room of State is incircled with aPortico, which is supported with Pillars of the finest Marble, the Capitals and Pedestals of which are all gilded. Besides these I have mention’d, there are many other Gates round theSeraglio, through which none are admitted, but such as are in the highest Favour with the Emperour. If I mistake not, I counted twelve, which were all Iron-work; seven of them were near the City; two of them, through which they carried their Hay to theSeraglio, were near the Sea; on the Sea Side there were five more: The first of these stands to the North of theSeraglio, towards the Bay; the second stands upon the Ridge of a Hill: ’Tis verylarge, has a Porch with an arch’d Roof before it, is gilded, and adorn’d in a surprizing manner withPersianPaintings, supported with Pillars ofOphitickMarble, and looks into theBosporus. At some Distance Eastward there is another Gate facingChalcedon. Just before it the Vessels are moor’d, in which theGrand Seignorsails to some distant Shore, when he goes a hunting, or is inclined to divert himself in his Gardens. The fourth Gate stands South-east near the Ruins of aChristianChurch, some Tokens of which are still remaining in a Wall, to which theGreeksto this Day, by their frequent Visits, continue to pay a kind of devotional Reverence. Beyond this there is a fifth Port or Gate, where is built a Room, though it is only rafter’d, whence you may have the Diversion of seeing the Fish catch’d; as it is also a kind of Repository, where theGrand Seignor’sFishermen lay up their Tackle. I would observe by the By, that though all the Hills ofConstantinopleafford a very pleasing Prospect, yet there is none which entertains you with such peculiar Delectation as the first Hill, where theSultanlives in a licentious and luxurious manner. He has before him, whether he is walking in his Gardens, or in his Chambers of theSeraglio, a full View of theBosporusand both its Shores, which are green, and flourishing with Woods belonging to the neighbouring Farms. On the right Hand he beholds a spacious Field ofChalcedon, cover’d with his own Gardens; he sees thePropontis, Islands without Number, and the woody Mountains ofAsia. If he looks at an immense Distance, behind him he beholds theOlympusalwayscloath’d in Snow. If he takes a shorter Prospect, he views before him the Wonders of his own City, the Church of St.Sophiaand theHippodrom. If he casts his Eyes to the left Hand, he beholds the seven Hills on which the City is seated, and more remotely, he looks round the unmeasurable spacious Fields ofThracia. If he extends his Prospect over the Seas, he views a moving Scene of Ships passing and repassing before him; some sailing from theHellespont, or theBlack Sea, others again coming into his Port from all the Coasts of thePropontis, while other Vessels at the same time are sailing up and down the Bay ofCeras, where there are also abundance of Wherries and small Boats always oaring from Side to Side. And if he looks below him, he has the agreeable Pleasure of beholding the three Sides of the first Hill, dressed with Trees, Flowers and Plants of all Kinds. But he has not only a fine Prospect from the Palace, but is entertain’d with several delightfulVisto’sfrom the Top of the Gardens rising on the Hills. If he has an Inclination to take a View of hisSeraglio, from that Point of Land which projects so far into the Sea, and which, as I observ’d, divided theBosporus; here he beholds it in all its Glory, strengthen’d with large Pillars of Marble, and fann’d with gentle refreshing Breezes, where he often sits with small Osier Lattices before him; so that, like anotherGyges, he discerns all that sail near him, though he himself is visible to none: And if at any time he is weary of the Company of his Domesticks, he can divert himself with the ridiculous Drollery of the Watermen, when fixing their Oars and Boat-poles tothe Shore, they tug against the violent Stream of theBosporus, which is much more rapid than theRhone. Without theSeragliostands the Church of St.Sophia, which is about seventy Paces distant from the Gate of the first Court. ’Tis situate on the Brow of the first Hill, upon an Eminence that hangs over the Garden of the first Valley: From thence you ascend by Stone Steps to the Gate of theSeraglio, and the Church of St.Sophia, which from the South-east falls with so easy a Descent, that it almost imperceptibly terminates on a Plain both above and below it. In short, all the Descents from the Imperial Palace to theHippodrom, are moderate and gentle. South-west of the Church of St.Sophia, a Plain extends itself to the End of theHippodrom, which is above seven hundred Paces long. TheHippodromis more than two Furlongs in Length, and one Furlong in Breadth. It stands upon a perfect Level; but this is more to be ascribed to Industry, than its natural Situation. The Middle Part of it, stretching as far as thePropontis, on three Sides of it, is a shelving Ground. On the East it falls with a small Declivity, on the West ’tis more upon the Descent, on the Side of thePropontis’tis directly perpendicular to the Depth, more or less, of fifty Foot. The whole Front of theHippodromis built upon Arches, (which makes it stand upon a Level) and entertains the Spectator with a very delectable Prospect of thePropontis, so that you may not only see Men sailing to and fro before you, but may also see the Dolphins frequently tumbling about the Waters. The Steps on the North Side of theHippodrom, which remainedthere but a few Years since, were demolished byAbrahamtheBassa, and were used in building his own House. Between theHippodromand thePropontisthere stretches a Plain, which widens to the Breadth of four hundred Paces, where the Churches ofBacchusandSergiusanciently stood; of both which I shall take Notice in the following History. Below theHippodrom, to the South, is the Gate call’dPorta Leonis, which is situate without the City, upon the Ruins of the Palace ofLeo Macellus; the Windows of which, of antique Workmanship, are still remaining in the Walls. The Palace was built upon a Hill adjoining to the Sea, which was about a hundred Paces high.
FROM the uppermost Plain of thePromontory, on which, as I observed, stood the Church of St.Sophiaand theHippodrom, by an easy Ascent of a thousand Paces, you climb the Ridge of the second Hill up to thePorphyryPillar, erected on the Top of the second Hill, which is bounded on the East by the first Valley, which divides the first from the second Hill. It rises at the Plain of St.Sophia, and extends itself from South to North. This Valley represents exactly the Figure of the Letter V; one of whose Sides extends itself full East, the other North. Thro’ the Middle of it runs the Wall, which divides theGrand Seignor’s Palace from the rest of the City. The lowermost Plain of thePromontoryextends itself in Length and Breadth so far into this Valley, that from the Bay to the Church of St.Sophia, you may walk a thousand Paces almost upon the Level. From the Entrance of it on the Sea Side, ’tis all a plain Ground to the Length of five hundred Paces; afterwards winding itself into this Vale, it rises with a small Ascent, which is more easily perceivable by a gentle Fall of the Water, than by the Eye or Foot. At the Beginning of it ’tis somewhat wide, afterwards ’tis narrower, and at the End of it ’tis straighten’d into two lesser Valleys; one of which, near to the Church of St.Sophia, is four hundred Paces long. It rises gradually, and is so very narrow, that the publick Way takes up the whole Breadth of it.
THE Ridge of thePromontoryrising a little higher, and the two Valleys adjoining to it, make the second Hill. The first Valley divides, at East, the first from the second Hill; the other Valley, Westward, divides the second from the third. On the North ’tis bounded by a Plain on the Sea Shore. The Ridge of thePromontoryextends from South to North to the Distance of one thousand Paces in Length, and four hundred in Breadth. The different Breadth of the Valesvaries the Breadth of the whole Hill. For where the Valleys which bound the Sides of it at the Top are more contracted, the Hill widens, and at the Foot of the Hill, where they are much wider, the Hill is less. The lesser Hills which stand upon it, extend its Length, two of which hang over the Bay. Its Height varies according to the different Height of the three Clifts, or small Hills which rise upon it. For the Clift lying to the South-east, rises moderately, from the lowest part of the Valley to the Top of the Hill, to the Height of about a thousand Paces; afterwards, as the Valley widens, it grows less, and is rendered more steep by two small Valleys (branching out of the great Valley) which indeed are somewhat upon the Descent, but not above a hundred Paces high. The different Heights of the Clifts which hang over the Bay, may be best discover’d by considering the different Heights of the fivepublick Ways, which reach from the Ridge to the Foot of the Hill. The first of these Ways rises to the Height of five hundred Paces, two hundred of which from the Foot of the Hill are very easy of Ascent, the other three hundred are very steep. The secondRoadis six hundred Paces high, a hundred of which rise through the lowest of the small Valleys by a gentle Ascent, the next hundred are almost perpendicular, so that you must climb them by Steps; the other four hundred rise gradually to the Top of the Hill, which is sixty Paces in Breadth. This Hill, on the Ridge of it, shoots Southward to the Distance of a hundred and fifty Paces, quite from the Church of St.Sophiato thePorphyry Pillar. The otherthreepublick Ways, from the Bottom of the Hill, are for the first hundred Paces upon a gentle Rise, the next two hundred are a mighty Declivity, so that you are obliged to ascend them by Windings and Turnings; the remaining five hundred, up to the Plain upon the Hill, rise moderately. I would observe farther, that on the Side of the Clifts which project over the Bay, two small Hills jetted out, one to the North, and the other to the East; both which uniting form a little Valley, which is bounded on the East by a Hill which rises eighty Paces in Height, and has in some Places very agreeable Descents. This is the Reason that most part of the lesser Clifts, which bear upon this Hill, stand to the East, and that the Side of the Hill which looks Westward, is in some Parts of it more shelving than in other: For its Eminencies falling into the lowest Plain in the Valley, to the Length of three hundred Paces, from the Foot of the Hill up to the Middle of it, are almost perpendicular, and from the Middle to the Top they slope but little. As for those Hills which project over the Head of the Valley, they are not above two hundred Paces high, often of a different Ascent: For as the Valley rises, the Clifts seem lower. Indeed all the lesser Clifts of this Hill have a double Descent; one length-ways, and the other broad-ways: For those of them which stand East and West are seated in such a manner, that they also lye to the North. In short, all the Sides of this Hill, in the most steep Ascents of them, are not above a Furlong in Height; in other Places they fall into a moderate Declivity, and at the Bottom of them they gradually enlargethemselves into a Plain. The upper Clifts at the Top of them are half shelving, and half upon the Plain. The Plain adjoining to the Sea, and dividing the Hill from the Bay, spreads itself into a Latitude of three hundred Paces, but immediately widens again into a Breadth of five hundred Paces, and so visibly enlarges itself, the farther it extends itself into the Valleys.
And thus having given the Reader some Account of the Front or fore-part of thePromontory, I shall now give him a short Description of the back-side of it, which faces the Sea. Behind the second and third Hills there are two lesser Hills, which hang over thePropontis. Between these Hills descends a hollow Valley. These Hills stand in the Middle of the Valley. That which lies Eastward, as well as that which lies to the West, exalts itself to the Height of more than two hundred Paces. At the End of the Valley, between these Hills, is a well built Harbour enclosed with a Wall. ’Tis seated upon the Plain on the Shore, near that part of the Sea which runs up to the Front of theHippodrom. The Mouth of this Harbour is three hundred Paces in Breadth. From the Bay call’dCornu, the Breadth crossing the Hill to thePropontis, widens to the Distance of two Miles.
THAT Valley which divides the second from the third Hill, begins at thePromontory, and ends in the Plain adjoining to the Sea. It contains in it the Fish-Market and the Ferry, whence you cross the Water toSyca. From hence to the Entrance of the Valley, a Plain expands itself to the Breadth of four hundred Paces so much upon the Level, that the Water falls from thence into the Bay with almost an imperceptible Descent. When it has contracted itself into the narrow Compass of two hundred Paces in Breadth, it gradually straightens itself into a less, even to the Middle of the Valley, where ’tis but fifty Paces in Breadth, and afterwards is no broader than thecommon Way. ’Tis above six hundred Paces in Length, three hundred of which are almost upon a Level, the other three hundred upon the Descent. It rises easily to that part of thePromontory, where the second and third Hills join. In the lowermost part of the Valley runs thebroad Waythat facesGalata. This Way, on both Sides of it, is full of Merchants Houses, cover’d with a kind of transparent Slat, which have here and there a small Casement. The Merchants ofGalatafrequent the grandBezestan, or Place ofExchange. ’Tis situate partly on the Head of theValley, and partly on an Eminence of the third Hill. In the Year of our Lord 1546 it was wholly burnt to the Ground, except twoBasilica’sroof’d with Brick-work, which were lock’d up every Night, and their Windows secured by Iron Bars, when the Fire was over. I was allowed after the Fire to view their grandForum. I found it lie so much upon the Level, that it had but a small Ascent either from the West to the East, or from the South to the North. I observed that it stood upon more than five Furlongs of Ground; on the highest part of it, which lies to the East, I was permitted to see aNymphæum, adorn’d with five and forty Marble Pillars, which supported a Brick Roof. The oldBasilica, of which I could have no Prospect before, by reason of the Shops and publick Houses, the Fire had lain open to my View. I observed farther, that it had two additional Buildings like Wings, joining to the main Building, each of which was divided into sixty Apartments, which were all arched, and over the Roof cover’d with Lead, as their Shops and Places of publick Entertainment are. The inward Chambers of these Apartments, for Privacy, are always lock’d, and are secured by an Iron Door. TheBasilicaitself consists of fifteen large Apartments, in the Figure of aDome, has four Doors, and is supported by eight Pillars; the Roof is Brick-work, and leaded at Top. The newBasilicais supported with twelve Pillars built of a square Stone; four Arches bear upon these Pillars, which support twenty small Roofs, built in the Form of aDome. There stand round about sixty Merchants Warehouses, or Shops witharch’d Roofs. Within theBasilicathere are two hundred and twenty more of these Warehouses, which are made after the following Manner. Round the Walls of theBasilicaare built abundance of very broad Pews, where the Merchants expose their Goods to Sale, which they take out of Presses, (when they would shew them to their Chapmen) which have Boxes of Drawers in them, the Masters always sitting before them. These Presses are fasten’d to the Wall, have two Folding Doors, and are removable at Pleasure.
THE third Hill is bounded on each Side by two Valleys: That which lies to the East, divides it from the second Hill, the Western Valley divides it from the fourth. The Ridge of this Hill is above a thousand Paces in Length. It shoots from the Top of thePromontorySouthward, Northward to the Bay ofCeras, almost in an equal Height. The second Hill on the contrary falls with a surprizing Descent, from the utmost Height of thePromontory, to the lowest Plain on the Bay Shore. The third Hill, at the Top of it is a Level of a great Length. It extends itself at the Foot of it, more by three hundred Paces to the North, than the Foot of the second Hill. It is not in all Places of an equal Breadth; at the Top of thePromontoryitself ’tisevery way about eight hundred Paces. Here ’tis that theSeragliostands. On that part of the Plain which lies to the East, stands the MerchantsForum, aCaravansera, and the Sepulchre ofBajazetthe Emperor. On the South Side of it is an openArea, round which stand the Booksellers Shops. On that part of it which lies Northward, stand the Works which the EmperourSolymanis now building, namely his Tomb, aCaravansera, and a magnificent and expensive Mosque. They are built not only upon the natural Situation of the Ground there, but also upon artificial Foundations. This Hill, on three Sides of it, descends upon three lesser Hills. For on that Side of it which lies Eastward, where stands the Tower ofHirena, a small Hill jets out into the second Valley. The long Projecture of this Hill, on the Ridge of it towards the Bay, makes another small Hill which lies Northward, and from that Side of it which points Westward, where stands the Church of St.Theodore, there shoots another little Hill out of the Middle of it, to the Plain which lies on the Sea Shore. Two Sides of this Hill descend in a double Declivity, one in a strait, and the other in an oblique Line. The Eastern Side of the third Hill, after it has extended itself to thirteen hundred Paces Distance, abates somewhat of its winding Descent, but the nearer you descend to the Plain, it falls with a more direct and confined Declivity. The Descents falling from the Ridge of the Hill to the Valley differ very much, the uppermost of them hanging over a very deep Valley, rise to the Height of five hundred Paces, the lowest three hundred of whichare very steep, the three hundred Paces above them are scarce half of that Steepness. The other Descents of this Hill are not so shelving, where the Valley rises higher. The Western Side of the Hill, as to its Declivities, is like the Eastern. The Northern Side of it has several Descents: For a lesser Hill, shooting from the Ridge of this Hill, is five hundred Paces high, the lower most three hundred of which fall so precipitately, that the Buildings which stand upon them, are all under-propp’d, the two hundred Paces above them fall with an easy Descent. The Descents on this Side of the Hill, the farther they lie from the Plain on the Sea Shore, the more are they lengthen’d by a sideling Fall, which rises on the Eastern Side of the Hill. The Plain on the Shore, as discontinued by the Inlet of the Bay, is not above two hundred Paces in Breadth, but at the Foot of the Hill, in other Parts of it, it sensibly widens up to the Entrance of the Valleys. TheGrand Seraglio, seated on the Side of this Hill, when I first arrived atConstantinople, was little less than six thousand Paces in Compass, but is at present more closely straiten’d, since theCaravansera’shave been built there by the SultanSolyman, and the burying Place for the Women (which is at least half the Ground) has been taken out of it and enclosed. The left Side of thePromontory, which lies behind the third Hill to the South, jets out with two lesser Hills; from one of which that shoots Eastward, the Side of thePromontorywhich winds round Westward to the other Hill, which is seated a little above the Foot of the Promontory; and at the Bottom of this Hill, thePromontoryadmits the third Valley, which lies behind it, and from thence stretches full North. The left Side therefore of the third Hill hath a double Descent; the one towards the South, which is six hundred Paces high, another extending itself South South-west, seven hundred Paces high; but at full West it falls very short of that Height. The Plain that lies between the back Southern Parts of the third Hill, and the Shore of thePropontis, is in no part of it less than three hundred Paces broad, nor above seven hundred Paces long. The Plain of the Valley which encloses the Foot of the Hill Westward, and which divides the seventh Hill from thePromontory, reaching from the Shore of thePropontis, where the Walls are not encompassed by the Sea, is almost upon a Level, and is in every part of it five hundred Paces in Breadth. The three Hills I have mention’d, may very properly be called thePromontoryof theBosporus; for they hang over the Sea in such a manner, that whether you sail toConstantinopleout of theBlack Sea, or thePropontis, you may see them at a great Distance, prominent over the Chaps of theBosporus. The third Valley seems to separate the other three Hills, which lie farther into the Continent from these. The Reason why I place six Hills in thePromontoryof theBosporusis, because these latter Hills all stand in a Row near the Bay, and are join’d together both at the Top and the Sides of them. The Plain which unfolds itself on the Ridge of the third Hill, descends gently into a Plain which hangs over the third Valley, and is six hundred and twenty Paces in Length, and as many in Breadth.
THE third Valley, which lies between the third and the fourth Hill, seems to be a double Valley; for in the Middle of it, it rises high, which makes it doubtful whether it be a part of the Valley, or thePromontory. That the Height of it is a part of the Valley, seems plain from the Height of the Arches, which reach from one Side of the Valley to the other; and it may be look’d upon to be the Ridge of thePromontory, from the Descent of the extreme Parts of it falling to the right and left, on each Side of thePromontory. On the right Side of which, it descends into a very low Plain, which, at its first Entrance, is three hundred Paces broad, and continues on upon a Level to the Length of five hundred Paces more; and though it sinks at Bottom into an equal Depth, yet the Pitches or Sides of it, in some Places, are higher than in others. For where the Plain is most hollow, there one of the Sides of it is three times higher than the other. From this Plain you ascend by easy Steps to the Top of the Middle of the Valley, which is six hundred Paces wide, except that small part of it in the Middle, where it is not above four hundred Paces in Breadth. Through the Top of this Valley, orPromontory, run the Arches of anAqueductfrom the fourth to the third Hill, ofthe same Height, at the Top of them, with the Hills themselves. The Altitude of these Arches discovers how great the Descent is from them. For though they are alike equal in Height at the Top of them, yet this Height is very different, according to the Difference of their Situations. For they are very high at the Top of the Valley, which is a plain level Ground, but upon the Descent of the Hills not near so high, and continue to the Length of eight hundred Paces in the same Height, though the higher they stand upon these Hills, they are less tall. The Top of this Valley orPromontory, descends with a gentle Fall of seven hundred Paces into a Plain, which divides thePromontoryfrom the seventh Hill, and from thence extends itself to thePropontis. The City from the Bay to thePropontis, passing thro’ the third Valley, is more than ten Furlongs in Breadth.
THE fourth Hill is enclosed with two Valleys, the Ridge of thePromontory, and the Shore of the Bay. Upon the Side of it stands the Tomb ofMahomet, (who tookConstantinople) severalCaravansera’sandBagnio’s. It is above three thousand six hundred Paces in Compass. The Length, from the Ridge of it to the Bay, is a thousand Paces; the Breadth of it, from East to West, is at least eight hundred. As you take aView of it from the Top, stretching in a Square towards the Bay, you perceive it to end in two Windings, though very different from each other. For that which points Northward stretches on in a continued Ridge, and has its Descents on both Sides, whereas that which shoots Eastward lies so low, that it seems to be only an Ascent to the other. At the End of it it winds Westward, where it forms a little Valley. This Hill Eastward is bounded by a Valley, and is parted from the third Hill; on the North by the Plain on the Shore, on the East partly by a Valley, which divides it from the fifth Hill, and partly by the winding of thePromontory, which rises in so gradual and delectable a manner, from the Top of the fourth to the Top of the fifth Hill, that you discover the Ridge of it to be uneven, more by a nice Discernment of the Eye, than by any Difficulty in walking it. For these Hills are join’d together in such a manner, that they seem to lie upon a Level. They are both of them one Plain, which, covering the Top of the fourth Hill, is not above four hundred Paces in Length, nor more than two hundred in Breadth, tho’ afterwards, when continu’d to the fifth Hill, it widens into the Breadth of five hundred Paces. The fourth Hill, tho’ it is equal in Height to any of the other six, yet its Ascents, whether they lie in a strait Line, or more obliquely, are more moderate, by reason it is a long Tract of Ground with three Declivities. The first of which, thro’ the Length of the whole, descends from the Southwest full North more than a thousand Paces; two hundred of which rising from the Sea Shore are a more easy Ascent, therest rise so very gently that you can scarce perceive them, although the uppermost hundred of them, which reach to the Top of the Hill, are very steep. The cross Descent which runs athwart the Breadth of the Hill is double, one of which falls Westward; the other, which shelves Eastward, rises from the Valley, which divides the third and fourth Hill. From the highest part of this Valley you climb an Ascent two hundred Paces in Height. Below the Top of it is another Ascent, which is five hundred Paces high, one hundred of which rising from the Bottom are very steep. The Height of the rest, which are an easy Ascent, you discover by the Level of theAqueduct. From the Bottom of the Valley you ascend four hundred Paces, the first hundred and eighty of which are very steep, after which you may walk two hundred more almost upon a Level. From hence you rise to the Middle of it, which is higher, and is a hundred Paces in Breadth. It is also elevated eight hundred Paces in Length, from the Top of it to the Bottom. From hence you descend two hundred Paces Westward to the lowest Part of the Valley, which divides the fourth and the fifth Hill, which is all a narrow Piece of Ground, and about four hundred Paces in Length. The first two hundred Paces upon the Shore of the Bay are all upon a Level; but it is an Uncertainty whether they are a part of the Valley, or the Sea Shore. For this Valley is enclosed in such a manner by these two Hills, as the fourth is bounded by the Plain upon the Shore, which is two hundred Paces broad, whereas the fifth does scarce descend so far. The followingeight hundred Paces are much upon the same Level, the last four hundred of which, stretching to the Top of thePromontory, are very steep. The Plain upon the Shore, passing between the Bay and the fourth Hill, is of a different Breadth. For that part of it which extends itself to the South-western Point of the Hill, is four hundred Paces broad, whereas that part of it which extends itself to the Northern Point, is no more in Breadth than two hundred Paces. In short, such is the Situation of the fourth Hill, that when you sail along the Bay, you would take it to be an advanced part of the third Valley. For the Top of this Hill runs so far Southward, that its Descents, shelving very moderately, seem almost upon a Level; whereas the Top of the fifth Hill, which is of the same Height, projects beyond the fourth directly Northward. The Descents on the Back of the third Hill, which lie Southward, are very easy and agreeable, till you come to the Plain of the Vale, which divides thePromontoryfrom the seventh Hill; so that the back part of this Hill shoots Southward, and is not bounded on either Side of it by the third Valley. This Southern Part of it is somewhat narrow, just beyond a little Hill of the third Valley, near aCaravansera, built by theSultan Mahomet; but behind the fifth Hill, below theColumna Virginea, ’tis straitned much more.