The Byzantines in Anatolia
Even though the Byzantines were almost a city-state in the last period of their Empire,
many traces of the early period Byzantine Empire can be found in Anatolia. One of these is
the palace found along the Izmir-Kemalpasa road. This multi-storied structure resembles
the Tekfur Palace. In terms of their style of decoration, the home and chapel of the
Mother Mary and other churches found in this region are almost small copies of the
churches of Istanbul. The Church of the Mother Mary in Bulbuldagi near Izmir is also
important as a pilgrimage site. It is widely believed that Mary spent her last years in
this city and that she died in this mountain cottage. Many Christians make the pilgrimage
to this site every year
Remains
of certain Byzantine castles can be spotted in various areas of Thrace. The ones still
considered intact are those at Silivri, Enez, Vize, and Kiyikoy. Another Byzantine ruin in
Vize is the Vize Church. This structure was later converted to a mosque and, while its
name was changed to the Suleyman Pasa Camii, it is still remembered as the Hagia Sophia.
Today
only a small section of the castle built by the Emperor Hadrian in Edirne is still
standing, although most of the building was still intact during the past century. Another
Byzantine masterpiece of Edirne is the clover-shaped Church of the Hagia Sophia.
Unfortunately, the only remains we have of that structure is a faded photograph. Only the
ruins of the Enez Cathedral remain to be seen in Enez. Built in the shape of the Greek
cross, the western side of this structure is longer than the other sides, giving the
building a Basilica-like apparent. Another ruin is the church dating from 1345 in Silivri.
This church was built by Alexios Apokaukos who was later to be lynched.
The
ancient city of Midye (Kiyikoy) crossing the Sakarya River. According to was built on a
clifftop of the Black Sea. Here today are the ruins of a monastery, church, and sacred
fountain. The church is a very important and unique structure in that it was built within
the hollowed out cliff, and has, itself, a cliff-like appearance. The Byzantines
constructed a number of buildings and towers in the area of the Izmit Bay which were used
for military purposes. The Eskisehir Tower in Gebze is probably in the best condition
today. This tower was built on a site allowing it to control both the road and the sea.
According to some researchers, this tower is where Mikhael Palaiologos VIII was imprisoned
by the Niceaen Prince Ionnes Lakaris IV after the prince blinded him and stripped him of
the throne. The Coban Tower overlooking a hill on the Yalova-Niceae Road is also a
Byzantine remnant. Another example of Byzantine architecture is the Dark Church near
Yalova.
One
of the other very important architectural works of this people is the bridge crossing the
Sakarya River.According to the writer Prakopios,"The Justinian Bridge was built over
the Sakarya River by the Emperor Justinian and through the power of Divine
Intercedence." This twelve-arched bridge is 430 meters long.
Other
important Byzantine remains can be found in the city of Nicaea (Iznik). During the
thirteen-century crusade, a period in which the Empire was in the process of
disintegration, Nicaea became the capitol of a Byzantine Principality and it was
surrounded by Roman walls. One side of these walls faced the land, while the others rested
against the cliffs.
The
rooms within some of the large towns of the walls were decorated with fresco painted by
artists of that period. The Hagia Sophis Basilica stands in the middle of the city. This
structure was badly damaged in the eleventh century by an earthquake and was then
restored. The floors of this cathedral are covered with very fine mosaics. The other
church in Nicaea is the Koimesis Church. This church was damaged during the last days of
the War of Independence in a battle between the Turks and the Greeks. Only photographs
remain of the former mosaics. There are enough remains however to understand the basic
plan of the church.
One
of the Byzantine remains in the Aegean area is the Sardes Basilica. Ephesus was also an
important center for the Byzantines. The Mother Mary replaced the goddess Artemis as a
figure of supplication. The Basilica of the Mother Mary was built over an ancient
structure in the year 431 AD. During the 7th century AD, certain hermits traveled from the
Sinai and built chapels along the shores of the Bafa Lake and on its tiny islands. A tiny
chapel remains on the Kahve Asar island. This chapel was built according to the plan of
the Greek cross and its eastern side is decorated with bricks. Monasteries are found in
the Ikiz and Kapikiri Islands. There are also remnants of the Styles and Yediler
monasteries in the nearby mountains.It is believed that St.Paul lived here. In Byzantine
sources it writes that the monastery at Yediler is the Kellibaron Monastery.
Byzantine Remnants in
Ankara
Ankara's
symbol, its tower, is a structure built by the Byzantines in the ninth century. Also to be
found in Ankara is the church that was constructed out of the remains of the Temple of
Augustus. It is also believed that the Afyon Tower which was constructed on the rocks in a
remnant of the Byzantine period. In Cappadocia there are many rock-hewn chapels, churches,
and hermit's retreats dating from the earliest period of Christianity and,
then, also used by the Byzantines. Most of these structures have frescoes in them. Some of
these depict Saint Helen, Constantine, and Saint George. The church of the monastery in
Eskigumus has been decorated with great attention to detail. Numerous wall paintings can
be seen in the Ihlara Valley. One of the very unique characteristics of this region is the
underground cities. One of these underground cities is at the town of Derinkuyu. The city
was built by hollowing out floors upon floors of stone and quite surprising techniques
were used to provide fresh air and a system of locks. Another underground city is Godet
which is in the Yarimkale-Karaman region near Kirsehir.
Trabzon
is another important Byzantine center in Anatolia. Trabzon utilized unique regional
building techniques. Today, however, only one wall with two windows remains of the
Commenos Palace. The religious buildings of this area have been better preserved. One of
these is the Church of St. Anne which carries an inscription stating that the church was
repaired by the emperor Basileos I in 885. The building today which is known as the
Ortahisar Mosque was the church of St. Eugene in the Byzantine period. The Hagia Sophia
church was built outside the city proper in the thirteen century. The bell tower of the
church has been very well preserved. The interior of this bell tower is decorated with
frescoes dating from the fifteenth century. Two of the most important remains from the
Byzantine period are the Kizlar Monastery built in the hills above Trabzon and the Boztepe
hermit caves which were hollowed out of the rocks. The most important of all of the
Byzantine ruins of this region, however, is the Sumela Monastery. First the cliffs of the
mountain were hollowed out to be used as a church and then this complex was developed into
a monastery. This construction took place in the fourteenth century during the Commenos
period.
