The Theodosian Walls of Istanbul
cultural heritage and urban potential
for a metropolis of the 21st century
Imprint
Draft developed by
Chair of Landscape Architecture,
Faculty of Architecture, RWTH Aachen University
Jakobstr. 2 52056 Aachen
GERMANY
[email protected]
Scientific direction:
Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Frank Lohrberg,
landscape architect
Project execution:
B. Sc. Architektur Tarik Özel
B. Sc. Architektur Rizo Agovic
B. Sc. Landschaftsarchitektur Lin-Leonardo Czerwinski
Dipl.-Ing. Axel Timpe, landscape architect
Aachen, July 2012
Introduction
“To be faithful to a tradition means to be faithful to its flame and not its ashes.”
Jean Jaurès
Since the UNESCO convention of 1972 the protection of cultural heritage has become a major task for governments and local authorities all over the world. Due to a rising public interest, great efforts have been made
towards preservation of cultural heritage, often by linking it to tourism concepts. In particular, the UNESCO
World Heritage-label has enabled stakeholders to concentrate attention and funds on the promotion of cultural
heritage.
The main challenge cultural heritage is facing since the turn of the millennium follows from the accelerating urbanisation, especially within Asian metropolises. Rapid urban growth endangers the historic places with
new buildings and infrastructure. Furthermore the global trend of urbanisation changes the way of living and
modifies cultural techniques. Following this notion, UNESCO has emphasized the value of an immaterial cultural
heritage in recent years, for example traditions of music, handicrafts, cuisine or land use.
Regarding these developments the handling of cultural heritage demands a broader approach than just
protecting monuments by conservation activities. Cultural heritage should be seen in both facets, material and
immaterial. And its managing should be integrated with urban development. The question is not only about the
historic value but also about the future urban potential of cultural heritage.
There are only few examples of transforming a complex historic heritage into a living urban infrastructure.
When we visited Istanbul and its Theodosian wall in 2011 we were deeply impressed by its monumental character. But we were also enlightened by discovering the wall’s accompanying open spaces, especially the bostans
with their horticultural tradition that has lasted for centuries. Standing upon the wall we enjoined a panoramic
view and recognized the strong linkages between fortification and settlement.
We asked ourselves, could these walls be developed as a new sustainable infrastructure of Istanbul that
promotes not only the monuments protection but also the city’s development in a broader sense concerning
recreation, education, neighbourhood empowerment and the identity of urban living?
In this paper we hope to present some first answers to our question. It is a draft illustration of an approach
we would like to further develop by discussing it with the city of Istanbul and its people.
Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Frank Lohrberg
the theodosian walls: 1600 years of history
Bosporus
Golden Horn
Theodosian
Wall
Constantinian
Wall
Wall of Sep.
Severus
megarian Wall
Palace Wall
Marmara Sea
The Buondelmonte Map of 1422 shows the theodosian walls on the left side.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_Constantinople_%281422%29_by_
Florentine_cartographer_Cristoforo_Buondelmonte.jpg
Timeline illustrating the development of the City of
Istanbul and the theodosian walls:
City Walls of istanbul
The Theodosian Wall is part of the system of the
Walls of Constantinople that have protected the city
since its founding as the capital of the Eastern Roman
Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous
additions and modifications during their history, they
were the last great fortification system of antiquity,
forming one of the most complex and elaborate – and
successful - systems ever built. The Theodosian Wall
itself was built in the 5th century running from the
Marmara Sea in the South to the Golden Horn in the
North, thereby encircling the peninsula of Constantinople. Consisting out of two fortification lines and a
moat, the Wall was almost impregnable for any medieval besieger, saving the city, and the Byzantine Empire with it, during sieges from the Avars, Arabs, Rus’,
and Bulgars, among others. The advent of gunpowder
siege cannons rendered the fortifications vulnerable,
leading to the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans on 29 May 1453. (partly cited by wikipedia).
cultural heritage with global prestige
The walls remained largely intact during most
of the Ottoman period, until sections began to be
dismantled in the 19th century, as the city outgrew its
medieval boundaries. The newly built avenues were
cut through the walls, fortunately the ensemble of
walls was kept. Henri Prost (1874 – 1959), famous city
planner of Istanbul, arrogated to keep a strip of land
on both sides of the Wall free of buildings. It took until
1964 that a congruent regulation was enacted. Due
to this measure a green corridor beside the Wall is still
recognizable today.
In 1985 historic parts of Istanbul, including the
Theodosian Walls, were declared as World Cultural
Heritage by UNESCO. A large-scale restoration program has been under way since then, which allows the
visitor to appreciate their original appearance.
The Theodosian Wall’s historic value lies partly
in its elaborated structure and its enormous length,
which is about 3 kilometres. It consists of a main wall
that is about 3 meters wide and crested by 96 towers.
Next to the main wall there is a second and lower wall
that includes towers and a parapet walk as well. In
between the Peribolos was aimed to lock in besiegers.
The outer fortification line was formed by a moat, 20
meters broad, which is filled-up today with soil.
The present state of the walls cover the range between ruins and restauration.
main wall
outer wall
peribolos
first wall
moat
Reconstructed elevation of the walls when used as a
defense for Constantinople.
the wall within
the city
Sümbülefendi, Alifakih,
Hacıhamza
The Theodosian Wall once bordered the city of
Constantinople but today it lies within the urban realm
of the Istanbul metropolis. The Wall is accompanied
by major traffic routes, especially in its northern part.
In the southern part the Wall lies in a wider green strip
of cemeteries, parks, agricultural land (bostans) and
nearby industrial fallow areas. Dense settlements draw
nearer from the inner side of the walls. Here, the open
spaces beside the Wall turn from horticultural land to
parks with sport and playing fields. In Istanbul where
open space is a scarce resource, the Wall still offers a
green corridor of open space but due to the apparently uncontrolled changes the corridor and its sections
do no longer offer a strong identity. The quality of
open space is low and the tourists’ interest unavoidable concentrates on the Wall itself.
Silivrikapı, Cambaziye,
Arabacıbeyazıt
Sümbülefendi, Alifakih,
Hacıhamza
Yedikule, İmrahor,
Hacıevhaddin
Land use:
main arterial roads
urban brownfields
Residential Areas
Commerical Areas and Public Facilitys
Sport and Culture
Bostan - Horticultural Use
derelict land
Parks
Cemetery
Sea of Marmara
gardening tradition of bostans
An opportunity to strengthen the identity of
the wall corridor lies within the bostans as a typical
Instanbul land use element. Many bostans are still to
be found in the southern part of the Wall between
Mevlevihane and Belgrad Kapi. They are located in the
former moat, on the Peribolos and on fields following
the inner side of the ancient walls. The land is owned
by the municipality and rented to families growing
beets, carrots, salads and other vegetables or herbs.
One “bostanci” told us that he grows portulaca like
his father and grandfather used to do. As TanyeriErdemir writes (“Chasing Calves in Istanbul”, Migrating Gardens, Annex 2009, Pg. 6-8), the horticultural
tradition in the walls´ vicinity might go back to the
Theodosian times when an edict allowed farmers to
store food in the wall towers. She argues that the tube
wells and cisterns used for filling the moat could also
have been applied to irrigate the vegetables fields.
bostan-gardens
bostan-gardens
bostan-gardens
filled up moat
Elevation of the present walls and uses of their territory
Image and produce of the bostans within the wall
territory
touristic potential
Treating the Theodosian Wall not only as a monument but as a green infrastructure running between
Marmara Sea and Golden Horn the touristic attractiveness of the area could effectively become enhanced.
Beside the wall there are many touristic features like
mosques, local bazaars, museums or cemeteries. Since
an integrating element is yet missing, these features
stand there as “hidden champions”. To discover them,
the Wall corridor should become developed towards
a linking structure offering hints and paths to the
surrounding attractions. By building up new linkages
to the wall corridor, the surrounding districts and its
quality of living is considerably enhanced. The open
spaces along the wall will change from back sides to
prime addresses.
Belgrad Gate
Church of St John the Baptist (Ruin)
Ziya Gün Park
Yedikule Fortress Museum
Yedikule, the Seven Towers
The Golden Gate of Theodosius I.
The walls as a connecting element
The Theodosian Walls - Route
IBB Park
Sahil Park
special features of The Theodosian Walls
linking places of touristic interest
Mermer Kule
Marble Tower
Difficult Crossing
northeastern parts of the wall
Cannon Gate
Church of the Holy Nigogayos
Topkapi Square
Gazi Ahmet Pasha Tomb
Park of the Siege of Constantinople (1453)
Fourth Military Gate
Panorama Museum of the Siege of Constantinople (1453)
Gate of Rhegium - Mevlevihane Gate
Merkezefendi Park
District Zeytinbumu - Medical Garden
The Sigma
Graves of Sufis
Third Military Gate
Shrine of Zoodochus Pege and Greek Monastery
Sacred Source „Balikli Ayazma“
Many sites of historic and touristic interest can be visited alonside the Theodosian Walls: e.g. Sufi-Graves,
Chora Monastery, Panorama 1453 Museum
Mosque of Ibrahim Pasha
Silivri Gate
development strategies for heritage and identity
building strategies
To realise the urban potential of the Theodosian
Wall and its corridor, not only the walls itself should
be maintained or restored. Horizontal connectivity is
needed to experience the dimension of the Wall; and
vertical access is needed to interweave the Wall with
its urban context. In order to bridge the wall gaps or
to set new landmarks in damaged sections, strategies
of enhancement or transformation should be taken
into account. It has to be verified if new building elements, that work simultaneously as elevators, bridges,
restaurants, info points and vistas could lead to an
enhanced functionality and add a modern facet to the
Walls appearance.
restore
transform
rebuild
enhance
Concerning the green corridor, decisions about its
future identity have to be made. We suggest strengthening a specific character, either as a classical park, as
sport facilities or to develop into the direction of an
innovative overlay of recreation and gardening uses.
open space strategies
urban
b agriculture
i lt
+ accessibility
ibilit
park
connectivity strategies
connected sports areas
horizontal connectivity
vertical access
giving bostan tradition new value
As pointed out before, the bostans between and
along the walls are part of a very old, urban agricultural tradition in Istanbul. The bostans’ history is interwoven with the walls history. In a way the bostans are
part of the cultural Heritage of the Wall, respectively
of Istanbul. Therefore the city planner’s view should
not only focus on the stone walls but on the bostans
richness as well, especially the beautiful patchwork of
beds, the local plant cultivars and the irrigation infrastructure. This should be seen not only in a material
but also in an immaterial context, since the techniques
of watering and growing and of producing local food
are part of the cultural heritage, too.
a liveable place for discovery and education
By combing material and immaterial facets of the
Wall’s cultural heritage, a specific identity within the
bostan areas could be developed. Tourists and locals
are invited to discover a forgotten part of Istanbul’s
history. Therefore the traditional irrigation infrastructure should be partly restored and shown to the people. Some bostans could be opened to the public in
the sense of an educational farm where school classes
among others could be informed about ancient and
modern food production in Istanbul and the importance of fresh and healthy food. The recovery and
further utilization of locally produced food will generate new jobs in the field of education and commerce,
for example by street sales or new restaurants that
work together with the bostancis serving local and
traditional dishes.
summer school “urban potentials of
the theodosian walls”
The chair of landscape architecture is very much interested in discussing the urban potential of the Theodosian Wall with the city of Istanbul and its people. At the Faculty of Architecture of the RWTH, University of
Aachen, we are part of an UNESCO Chair in “World Heritage Cultural and Urban Landscapes”. Beside the field
of landscape architecture, the UNESCO Chair includes expertises from the fields of town planning, urban and art
history, and the preservation of monuments. The UNESCO Chair has a great experience in research and scientific advice - partly gained by other Istanbul projects – and in engaging student work in a city’s development.
In addition, the Chair of Landscape Architecture is the leading partner of the COST Action “Urban Agriculture Europe” that starts in 2012 and could also provide a framework for further activities, especially within the
bostan context.
Hoping to have drawn interest with our integrated approach we appreciate any suggestions for intensifying
the discussion about the Theodosian Wall and its urban future.
If you are interested in further discussion please contact:
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Frank Lohrberg
[email protected]
Lehrstuhl für Landschaftsarchitektur, RWTH Aachen University
Jakobstraße 2, 52056 Aachen
GERMANY