Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Fortifications of the Mediterranean Coast International Conference 2026, Rome, İtalya, 19 - 21 Şubat 2026, cilt.22, ss.209-216, (Tam Metin Bildiri)
The architecture of the Sea Walls of Constantinople reveals the interplay of historical context, architectural design, and engineering skills. Developed because of a construction process spanning several periods, these fortifications reflect the strategic necessity of protecting the city from sea attacks. The historic city, which is located on a peninsula, had different conditions on the shores facing the Golden Horn, which formed a deep harbor in the north, and the Sea of Marmara, open to strong winds in the south. For this reason, the architectural layout and formation of the Sea Walls in two directions vary in some respects. The development of Constantinople, which was declared the new center of the Roman Empire in 328, was initiated with the construction of land walls. However, there is not enough data to prove that sea walls were built in the same period. In the early 5th century, as the city’s boundaries were expanded further west, erecting the current land walls, the coasts were also fortified, although the extent is unclear. The ongoing building of the sea walls was shaped to accommodate the requirements of the new harbors at some points, and the sea walls had taken their final form enclosing the city by the 9th century. In this research, the design principles of the sea walls were examined by making on-site examinations and comparisons with old maps. The architectural and engineering approaches used in the construction of the sea walls responded to the challenges of the region’s unique hydrodynamics. The sea walls, consisting of a single line of wall and adjacent towers, were built on very solid foundations. The arrangement of the towers and the gates vary depending on their location. In addition, various construction techniques observed in the sea walls built of stone and brick reflect the period in which they were built.