Istanbul Walls - Silivrikapi

Istanbul, which was the capital of the Byzantine Empire at the time, was surrounded by walls that reached approximately 20 kilometers at that time. This line of defense protects the city from numerous attempts at conquest between 413 and 1453.

The Byzantine ruins in question, which spread over the historical peninsula of the city, are examined in three parts as land, sea and Golden Horn; Approximately 6.5 kilometers of the line are in the form of land walls. The other walls, on the other hand, stretch along the shores of the Golden Horn and the Sea of ​​Marmara, and are based on the defense of the city against attacks from the sea. The land walls are still standing, partially or significantly, in many parts of Istanbul, and attract attention with their gates, most of which were built in the Byzantine period.

For trade, military or routine reasons, the transitions between the inside and outside of the land walls were provided through the gates opening to the walls. It is known that there were 45 gates on the walls before Istanbul was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1453. Today, 11 of the gates, most of which were closed after the conquest, are open and can be visited. One of these gates is Silivrikapı.

It comes after the Belgrade Gate. Surrounded by walls, the bastions and general lines of which are in very good condition, Silivrikapı is in the form of a door both inside and outside. As far as is known, the inhabitants of the city, merchants and travelers from other places, rather than soldiers, used to pass through here.

Silivrikapı, which has a burial chamber thought to be 1700 years old, has an interesting surprise inside: the ball that has been hanging for more than 400 years. There is an inscription in front of this weapon, which belongs to Baltacı İdris Ağa, who broke the record in the competitions.

The gate, in the entrance part of which there are two tombs where Elekçi Dede and Mehmed Haydar Efendi are buried, is important because it prepared the collapse of the Latin Empire, which held the city for more than 50 years. On July 25, 1261, the Byzantine army defeated the Latins and annexed the city again.

Finally, the nearby Balıklı Ayazma is one of the recommended sightseeing spots. The building, dated 1833, is also famous for the lake with fish inside. In addition, the İbrahim Pasha Mosque is within walking distance of Silivrikapı.