Çemberlitaş takes its name from the column erected in the middle of the oval square known as Forum Konstantin during the reign of the city’s founder, Constantine. The district has the accumulation and power to live different centuries at the same time with its bathhouse, mosque and social complexes. Its proximity to Nurosmaniye Mosque and the Grand Bazaar is another advantage.
In the 19th century, Çemberlitaş was a popular residential area where doctors and lawyers lived. When it started to receive intense migration from the east in the 20th century, the old residents gradually left the place. The decreasing rents over time were an advantage for workers working in the leather sector. This process worked against Çemberlitaş Bathhouse and they lost their rich customers. Fortunately, mass tourism, which started in the 1990s, came to the rescue and the region was revived.
When you come to Çemberlitaş today, the surroundings may seem a little boring or even gloomy, but in its time, Forum Konstantin was surrounded by statues of Roman emperors, pagan gods and Christian saints. The surroundings were decorated with fascinating temples and mansions.
The world’s largest porphyry column, the 35-meter Çemberlitaş, has a very eventful history; it was damaged in the earthquake of 416. It was surrounded by iron rings to prevent it from toppling over. When the statue of Constantine fell and shattered in a storm in 1106, Emperor Manuel I Comnenus had a giant cross put in its place. After the Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453, it was the turn of the cross. Fatih Sultan Mehmed had the cross taken down. In the fire of 1779, when everything around it burned, the column turned pitch black with soot. Çemberlitaş gained a new name; the people started calling it the “Burnt Column”. In the restoration carried out by Sultan II. Abdülhamid, the lowest part was attached to the stone base from the inside. In the 1970s, the iron rings were replaced in case the marble was damaged. In the 2000s, scaffolding was set up around the column to carry out the restoration. They slowly started removing the scaffolding that had been there for years in late 2009.
Çemberlitaş Hamam
When you enter through the modest door opposite the column, you will find yourself in Çemberlitaş Hamam, one of the best baths in the city, built by Mimar Sinan in 1584. The bath was built for Nurbanu Sultan, the wife of Sultan Selim II. Nurbanu Sultan, one of the most powerful sultanas in the Ottoman Empire, ruled the empire from 1574 to 1583 in the name of her son Murad III, as a regent. It is said that she did not tell anyone about her husband’s death until her son Murad came from Manisa and secured the throne, and that she kept Sultan Selim II’s body in ice. The bath was established as a foundation for the Atik Valide Sultan Mosque in Üsküdar (p. 000). It was restored by Köprülü Mehmed Pasha in the 17th century.
When you enter through the modest door opposite the column, you will find yourself in the Çemberlitaş Hamam, one of the best baths in the city, built by Mimar Sinan in 1584.
Çemberlitaş is a breaking point for the Pagan Roman period. Because Çemberlitaş was the first sacred symbol at the end of the period when many different gods were worshipped and the foundation of the new Rome with scriptural beliefs.
Among the places nearby are Vezir Han, the old Dar'ül-fünun building, Sultan II. Mahmud Tomb and graveyard, Köprülü Library, Atik Ali Pasha Mosque, madrasah and Ali Baba Tomb. You can also enjoy a Turkish bath while visiting this historical district.
The district takes its name from the historical Çemberlitaş Column located in its centre.
Some of the sacred objects said to be under Çemberlitaş are Noah's staff, the stone that gave water to Hz. Moses, the crumbs of the holy bread distributed by Hz. Jesus, Jesus' water bowl and the bowl he ate from, and most importantly, the cross on which Hz. Jesus was crucified, the nails and nail pieces.
Çemberlitaş, which had an original height of 57 meters but has reached 35 meters today, was seriously damaged by a fire in the 17th century. Thereupon, its surroundings were surrounded by iron rings by Sultan Mustafa II in 1701.
1800 years of history. When it was first built, there was a statue of Apollo greeting the rising sun on the column. It was removed from the Temple of Apollo in Rome in 330 and erected in Istanbul. Later, Emperor Constantine had his own statue placed on the column instead of the statue of Apollo.
The Column of Constantine is not only a historical structure, but also a characteristic symbol of Istanbul. Around this column, there was a forum known as Konstantinos, which was the center of trade and politics at the time. This place witnessed important events of that period and contributed to the development of Istanbul.
Mimar Sinan
Çemberlitaş Hamamı/Mimarı
HZ.During the Ottoman period, Sultan Mustafa II had the column, whose marble was damaged by a great fire, reinforced with walls and reinforced by wrapping it with iron hoops. For this reason, the column was called ''Çemberlitaş'' from that day on.
The monumental column of Çemberlitaş, which many local and foreign people pass by every day, has been in existence for approximately 1700 years on one of the seven hills of the Historical Peninsula in Istanbul.
Çemberlitaş Tram Station is an at-grade tram station located on the T1 (Kabataş - Bağcılar) Tram Line of the Istanbul Tram and was put into service on 13 June 1992.
According to historical sources, these rooms contain holy relics, including the cross believed to have been hung on Jesus Christ and the nails driven into his hands and feet, which were brought from Jerusalem by Emperor Constantine's mother Helena.
Later, during the Ottoman period, the Apollon Column suffered a great fire, and since the marble of the column was damaged, Sultan Mustafa II (1695-1704) had a wall reinforced under the column and reinforced it by wrapping it with iron hoops. For this reason, it was called Çemberlitaş from that day on.
Some of the sacred objects said to be under Çemberlitaş are the cross on which Jesus was crucified, nails and pieces of nails. Byzantine historian A.A.Vasiliev also wrote that Constantine's mother Helena went to Palestine and brought back the pieces and nails of the cross on which Jesus was crucified.
Emphasizing that there are 9 columns on the pedestal, each weighing approximately 3 tons and 3 meters in diameter, fitted together with bracelets, he said, "A perfectly balanced structure connected to each other with lead. Each weighing 100 tons, placed on top of each other without the slightest breakage. Magnificent workmanship like the secret in the pyramids." The fact that the stone has a feature that is not easy to process like other stones is a historical artifact full of secrets about the level of technology at that time.
A square/forum named after him was built by Emperor Constantine on one of the seven hills of Istanbul in the 4th century. In the middle of the square, a column with a statue of Constantine on it was erected. Although the statue was destroyed over time, the column remained standing until the Ottoman period. The column, which survived various disasters during the Ottoman period, was surrounded by metal plates to protect it. For this reason, it is called Çemberlitaş. It can be reached by tram.
Çemberlitaş is a neighbourhood in the Fatih district on the European side of Istanbul. Although its exact borders cannot be drawn as it is a neighbourhood, it can be said that it administratively covers parts of the Mollafenari, Binbirdirek and Eminsinan neighbourhoods. The neighbourhood takes its name from the historical Çemberlitaş Column in its centre. The T1 tram line has a stop in the neighbourhood.
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