Terrastrial City Walls of Istanbul in Zeytinburnu

Zeytinburnu hosts some terrestrial part of Istanbul city walls which  holds a length of 22 kilometers in three zones in all. Terrestrial walls had been built in 4 years during the reign of Theodosius 2 and had finished on August 25, 413 located between Ayvansaray, a sea-neighborhood in Haliç, and Yedikule in the Marmara coast with a length of 5.5km. These walls contain 3 parts as inner walls, outer walls and the moat. The inner walls were about 5 meters wide, 20 meters high and reinforced with a tower in every 60 meters. The inner walls were 14 meters away from the outer walls. The outer wall were reinforced with 96 towers some of which were up to 23 meters high. The moat was 20 meters wide and 6 meters deep. Altınkapı in Yedikule was the most majestic city gate and used only by the emperors in times of expeditions for departures or arrival. Other city gates of Zeytinburnu are Belgradkapı, Silivrikapı, Mevlanakapı, Sulukule Kapısı and Topkapı. The terrestrial walls was repaired several times throughout the history and was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in the early 1980s. Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has repaired certain parts of the walls between the years of 1987-1994 as well.

1. Altınkapı (Porta Aurera)

   
   

   Since it was only used by the emperors, this gate was the most magnificent gate in the terrestrial line and built just as a triumphal arch. However, after expanding the city walls, this gate became a part of the defense system.

   
   

   

2. Belgradkapı (Porta Ksilokerkos)

   Being bricked up in 20th century, this gate was called as “The Closed Gate” for some time in Ottoman Era. Following the conquest of Belgrade, shop owners and craftsmen were settled in this region and the gate had been names as Belgradkapı (The Gate of Belgrade). Bricks in the gate had been demolished in 1886 and Belgradkapı is still in use today.

   

3. Silivrikapı (Porta Pege)

   Located on the way to Silivri, the gate has an epitaph facing inner city written in 1585, and an Ottoman mace above, on the pediment. The entrance of the gate is home to the graves of Elekçi Dede and Mehmed Haydar. Silivrikapı gate is still open to traffic and in use.

   

4. Mevlanakapı (Porta Rhesium)

   The traces of Byzantine Era architecture can be found the most in this gate among all the gates. A crucifix and a Byzantine epitaph describing the repair were engraved on the pediment and another crucifix motif was carved on the inner side of the gate. The gate that was bricked up in the Byzantine era had been opened by Ottomans and called as Yenikapı (The New Gate). Yet, following the opening the mevlevi lodge here, the gate started to be known as Mevlihane Kapısı (The Gate by the Mevlevi Lodge). This gate is still in use and open to traffic.

   

   
   

5. Topkapı (Porta Romanos)

   As the most famous Istanbul gate, Topkapı owes its fame as being a symbol structure during the Conquest of Istanbul. The rumor has it that Mehmed The Conqueror (Mehmed 2) entered the city through this gate. The gate was reconstructed, since it was heavily damaged during the war and got its name of Topkapı (The Gate of Cannons) so for the cannonballs that were put on the walls. This gate is in use. The terrestrial walls were repaired several times throughout the history and inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in early 1980s.

   

6. Yedikule Gardens

   The environs of the historical city walls of Istanbul have been used as urban agricultural sites more than 1500 years. Heavy urbanization progress in recent times squeezed urban agriculture to “Yedikule Gardens” only. The gardens which were recognized as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 gorm a cultural topography in which centuries of human knowledge and heritage by means of wells, pools, stables, wooden huts and terracing system were passed down through generations.