It was erected to honour Constantine the Great, in the centre of an oval-shaped square on the second hill of Istanbul, and on the occasion of the dedication of Istanbul as the new capital of the Roman Empire in 330 A.D.. The oval-shaped square, known as the Forum Constantine, was surrounded by columned porticos.
Cemberlitas is also known as the Hooped or Burnt Column. It stood taller than it does today, and a gilded statue of Constantine the Great, posing as the sun god, stood on it.
The porphyry blocks of the column, which had cracked in time and survived a fire, were reinforced with iron hoops.
The white marble capital was placed on it in the 12* century, and the stone wall seen in the lower section was built in the 18th century to reinforce the column. It was believed that relics dating back to earl Christianity used to be kept in the small chamber under the column. The course of the avenue that passes by the column has not changed since Constantine the Great.
Fri, Mar 27, 2009
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