CONSTAN'TINO'PLE (Lat. Constantinope lis, from Gk. KovaravrIvou 71-6XLs, Konstantinou polis, city of Constantine. Turk. Istambul or )tambul, from Gk. EIS Dip Cis ten polin, or, in the corrupted dialect of the people, is rcIA Macy, es lain bolin, to the city). The capital and largest city of the Ottoman Empire, situated in the extreme southeastern part of European Turkey, on the shores of the Sea of Marmora, the Bosporus. and the Golden Horn, a long, nar row inlet, extending in a northwestern direction from the Bosporus: latitude 41° N.. longitude 28° 59' E. (Map: Turkey in Europe, 0 4). With its many mosques. kiosks, and extensive gardens, it presents from the sea a magnificent appear ance, which is greatly enhanced by the imposing picturesqueness of the situation. Constantinople proper, or Stambul, occupies a triangular pen insula. The suburbs of Galata and Pera are situated on the northern and opposite shore of the Golden Horn, which is spanned by two iron pontoon bridges. Stambul is surrounded by partly ruined walls, the most famous of which is the Theodusian double wall dating from 447. The fortifications have strong towers, and are pierced by numerous historic gates. The streets are narrow, crooked, and without sidewalks. There are countless house-gardens and many beautiful cemeteries. The houses. usually of cne story. are mostly built of wood, though some portions of the city. since the great fires of 1805, 1800„ and 1870, have been recon structed in a modern fireproof style. Many fine public buildings have latterly been erected: new suburbs have been built, and old ones enlarged and improved. On the whole, however, the rate of growth and the extent and character of the improvements of the city are surpassed in nearly every other European capital.
The architectural beauty of Constantinople itself lies conspicuously in its mosques, 379 in number, among which that of Agin Sofia (orie inally the Church of Saint Sophia) is most famous. The present edifice, 250 by 235 feet in size, was begun in 532 by Justinian. and was completed in five years. It is constructed of brick, faced with marble. Its shape is that of a cross. While its outward appear ance is not in keeping with the grandeur and charm of its interior. it is regarded as one of the most magnificent of ecclesiastical edifices. The dome in the centre rises 180 feet high (from the ground). and is 108 feet in diameter.
It is supported by four arches. Within the mosque are 107 pillars of gigantic propo•tions 40 on the ground floor and 07 above. They are of green marble and red porphyry, with capitals in the Byzantine style. The walls were orig inally decorated with beautiful mosaics, which have been either partly effaced or partly covered up with inscriptions from the Koran. After the conversion of the church into a mosque by INIo hammed 11., in 1453, four minarets were added, and the golden cross on the dome was replaced by the crescent.
The Mosque of Solyman covers a site nearly as large as that of Saint Sophia, and, like most mosques, is surrounded by a well-shaded court. It was built in 1550-60, by the Sultan Solyman. It has four minarets, and is surmounted by a dome somewhat higher than that of Saint Sophia. The marble decorations in the interior are magnificent. The Mosque of Aehmet 1. was built in 1609-14, and exceeds in dimensions the Mosque of Solyman, but is inferior to the latter in design and in ornamentation. Among other mosques may be mentioned those of Mohammed II., Bajazet II., Selim 1.. Yani-Jami, and Mur i-Osmani.
Secular buildings of historic interest are: The Castle of the Seven Towers, once a State prison where a number of dethroned sultans were exe cuted: the hippodrome, completed by Constan tine, the scene of public festivals as well as of popular uprisings; and the old Seraglio, with its extensive gardens and beautiful kiosks and pal aces. There are also interesting ruins of ancient royal palaces. The present abode of the Sultan. the Scrai Humayun. is in reality a little city whose walls inclose mosques, administrative buildings, dwelling-houses and gardens. It is over a mile and a half in circumference. In royal grandeur, however, it does not equal the residences of many other European rulers. Its outer gate is called 'The Sublime Porte.' The bazaars of Constantinople are very nu merous. The chief of them. the Grand Bazaar, somewhat injured by an earthquake in 1894. occupies a. large number of narrow, vaulted alleys, and contains about 3000 shops. It is filled with merchandise of great variety and beauty, and presents in daytime one of the finest sights of the city. The bazaars. however. are gradually losing their importance, the wealthier classes preferring to make their purchases in the French shops on the Grande Rue in Pera.