CONSTANTINOPLE: Istanbuls Historical Heritage By Stephane Yerasimos Constantinople was the capital of two of the worlds greatest empires: the Eastern Roman Empire of Byzantium and the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Situated between two continents, the city was moreover the crossroads of two different worlds and to understand the historical importance of Constantinople it is necessary to appreciate its artistic treasures and consider the culture and outlook of the peoples who once ruled so much of the known world from the shores of the Bosphorus. The city was christened by Constantine the Great and following its conquest by the Ottomans in 1453, they chose the legendary Metropolis as the centre of their empire and renamed it Istanbul. In the first centuries after Christ, Christian rulers had the Hagia Sophia built. The numerous churches and monasteries of the Middle Ages, richly decorated with Byzantine mosaics, greatly influenced the character of the city. Many of the illuminated manuscripts and icons that are now distributed among museums throughout the entire world were also created in this period. The exceptional mosaic and fresco cycles of the church of Chora are convincing evidence of the spectacular beauty of the art produced there, even during the Paleologan Renaissance. Mehmet II wanted to demonstrate his political importance as a New World ruler through the cultural magnificence of the pearl among the cities of the Mediterranean. The art of the Ottoman Empire, permeated by Arab and Persian forms, made a lasting mark on the citys appearance. The Topkapi Sarayi, the Palace of the Sultans, became one of the most famous of the new rulers building projects. In the 16th century, the era of Süleyman the Magnificent, gorgeous mosques were created and the decorative arts, including calligraphy, illumination, miniature painting, ceramics, textiles and carpet weaving all flourished. Here are many facets and priceless artistic treasures brought together in one glorious volume. 400 large pages measuring 8½ x 10, packed with colour photos, plans and diagrams. youtube/watch?v=utP0-zDTaKE
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 11:03:13 +0000
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