Constantinople

[Ludovicus]

Hi,

For all of you Contantinoplephiles a website shows the most famous of the Byzantine capital's monuments, walls, churches, and fora just before the arrival of the unruly Crusaders.

 

http://www.byzantium1200.com/introduction.html

 

Click on the word "Contents" on the list to the left. Then click on a specific building. Dazzling!

 

 

Ludovicus

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

Uuu, nice website. The Hagia Sophia never looked better though lacking color.

[Tobias]

Some truly fascinating pictures there Ludovicus, i must thank you for the link to that site. I was especially interested in the land walls, and the Forum of Constantine ( I was unaware that the statue of Constantine fell off the pillar-quite interesting!)

Edited December 15, 2005 by Tobias

[Honorius]

May i ask why is there crenellations on the western side of the mote? wouldnt it jsut give enemy archers/crossbowmen defensive cover?

[Ludovicus]

1134639137[/url]' post='21265']

Some truly fascinating pictures there Ludovicus, i must thank you for the link to that site. I was especially interested in the land walls, and the Forum of Constantine ( I was unaware that the statue of Constantine fell off the pillar-quite interesting!)

 

 

Here's a further update of the graphically rich site Byzantium 1200. A vivid reconstruction of the Forum of Constantine:http://www.arkeo3d.com/byzantium1200/forum-c.html

 

 

[Macerinus]

Wow, that is amazing...

 

....would love to have something like that as a wallpaper on my computer

[Bryaxis Hecatee]

I was in the place no longer than 10 hours ago, only the column remains, without it's top level, burned by a fire, cracqued in part and circled by metal bands, about half of the forum still there in it's circle form and the rest having been transformed into a large avenue in the middle of which the tram goes... Glory and decadence they say... (and I don't even speak of the arch of Theodosius further down the main street, a heap of stone blocks alongside the road, partly overgrown by weeds, not seen by anyone anymore )

[bitparity]

You know what else is doing a good job of recreating Constantinople, Assassins Creed Revelations. If you watch their newest trailer, they have a segment where you're running through the ruins of the old Hippodrome before it was turned into a park.

[Ludovicus]

1320956366[/url]' post='118202']

You know what else is doing a good job of recreating Constantinople, Assassins Creed Revelations. If you watch their newest trailer, they have a segment where you're running through the ruins of the old Hippodrome before it was turned into a park.

 

Do you have a link?

 

[bitparity]

http://kotaku.com/5857802/constantinople-looks-stunning-in-assassins-creed-revelations

 

I thought they did a semi-decent job with Rome, though obviously everything was smaller, and they turned palatine hill into merely a series of arches...

Edited November 15, 2011 by bitparity

[Ludovicus]

Thanks. More realistic than most game settings.

 

[Bryaxis Hecatee]

Indeed, quite realistic, and quite a few roman monuments are shown, including the Constantine column (aka "burn column") in the end scene, truly a fine sight for one who's just come back from there... I wonder if they set some scenes in the subteranean cistern ?

[caldrail]

May i ask why is there crenellations on the western side of the mote? wouldnt it jsut give enemy archers/crossbowmen defensive cover?

 

I haven't had time to investigate but on first reading my thoughts are that it probably isn't a likely scenario. Bear in mind that if troops get by the wall they want to get further into the city, and unless they waste time 'conquering' the wall, the byzantines are still going to be manning it, thus the area behind would then become a killing ground?

Edited March 16, 2012 by caldrail

[Bryaxis Hecatee]

I recently saw the movie Fethye 1453, a turkish (rather nationalistic) movie about the capture of the city by the muslim armies, they were some nice reconstructions of parts of the city and of the walls !