Panoi in the number of holy martyrs, and G. Komidas did not like my fellow soldiers, he did not even willingly kill them. I covered it up later, in my funeral to the Patriarchs and to the Greek Church, where he was supposed to accompany me. Actually, there was no way to get a more pleasant and helpful cicerone. During my entire stay in Constantinople, I was extremely pleased with him and remain grateful! We decided to start our proguldi early the next day. I am a rule that in any significant city, first look at the commonality of it and its surroundings, so that later you can conveniently and clearly recognize its parts; according to this plan, we wanted to first climb the high Galata tower, look from it at the panorama of Constantinople, and then walk around the city, for a detailed survey of its curious for an archaeologist and charming for a painter stifles; beyond t5m, enter (if possible) into the Seven Tower Castle”, and from there, by water (otherwise it’s impossible), entrust the view to Etvn and Tfm to finish the first walk.
I instructed Mr. Komidas to prepare the riding horses with guides for the early morning. The next day we went to Galata, and went to the tower. It was built by the Genoese when they owned the building. Walking along the city, I was very tired, although the steps are quite comfortable and the tower is divided into three and four floors, and in each of them there is a spacious room. You can rest; but my time to climb to the very top was so great that I didn’t stop for a night. From there I saw the whole of Constantinople, even the entire peninsula on which it is built: the Prince’s Islands, most of the Bosvory Strait are visible very clearly, and under my feet there is Tofana, Galata, Pera and the pier. You can’t see such a sight in the world! I agree with Duke Raguzek, who says: “If even now this view is so wonderful, then what was it like when this space was covered with magnificent buildings, vast and great palaces: Now their and the remains of the NFTs! "by their united alloys. Not much that still exists, and shows the ancient power of U "and the past splendor, is now hidden from the rays of the sun: and this must be found underground! Everything on the surface, wherever you look, is built of wood: this is an immense multitude of hovels that can be destroyed by "one spark! These painted and decorated “houses are only temporary and fragile shelters. “And it is rightly said that the Turks are only “living in Europe.” There is nothing left for me to add to this fair description.
I enjoyed this panorama of Constantinople for a long time, but I still needed to see a lot. We left the tower and went to the pier. Having boarded a boat to the other side of the pier, we got on horses and, planning to walk around the walls of the entire city, we flew through the Egri-Kapu gate (Indirect Gate). Here I want to describe the ancient and current names of the gates, before I begin to talk about the walls of the city.
Before Mohammed took Constantinople, there were 3 gates in it: 3 of them went to the Sea of Marmora, 12 to the pier, and 48 to solid ground. Most of these gates have been blocked and now do not exist; but those who lived, TB’ for the most part retained the names corresponding to the ancient ones, only in Turkish. Let's begin the description of the remaining 7 gates, out of 48 that opened onto solid ground, from the place where we are currently located, that is, from the corner from the pier.
The first were called in ancient times Asikloporta, or Xylokerkon: they were adjacent to the Vlaherya quarter and palace; There was a hospital near them then. They have retained their name to this day.
The second, Egri-Kapu (Indirect), into which I fell, in ancient times Kharisiysk; they stand on the same m5etB.
'Gretii, Adruanopolis, Edirne-Kapuses, formerly Polyandrion, so named because many working people from the Venets and Prasins (°) gathered here, one before the other working in the reign of Theodosius the Younger, during the restoration of the wall collapsed by the earthquake.
About the horses, the lists in the circus. Fourth, St. Roman, now® Topu-Kapusn (Gate of the Cannon). It was here that the last Constantine fell gloriously, screaming in his hands, defending his capital. The huge guns of Mohammed II were turned towards this place.
Fifth, Mevzane-Seni, in ancient times Melandizie (").
Sixth, Sezivri-Kapusi in ancient times Quintus.
Seventh, Kapanyu-Kapusi, Attalus Gate.
As for the Golden Gate, I found them not without difficulty: they are there and are located in the Seven Tower Castle, as I said.