Message #69080

[Krystal Coenen]

After the Fall of Constantinople (1453), Sultan Mehmet II repaired the whole water supply, which was then used to bring water to the imperial palaces of Eski Sarayi (the first palace, built on the third hill) and Topkapı Sarayi, and connected it with a new line coming from the northeast. The great earthquake of 1509 destroyed the arches near the Mosque of Şehzade, which was erected some time later. This gave rise to the hypothesis that they were cut, in order to allow a better view from the nearby mosque. The repairs to the water-supplying net continued under Beyazid II, who added a new line.[8]

Around the middle of the 16th century, Suleyman I rebuilt the arches (now ogival) 47 up to 51 (counted from the west) near the Mosque of Şehzade, and commissioned the Architect Sinan to add two more lines, coming from the Forest of Belgrade (Belgrat Ormanlı).[4] The increased flow allowed the distribution of water to the Kιrkçeşme ("Forty fountains") quarter, situated along the aqueduct on the Golden Horn side, and so called after the many fountains built there under Suleyman.[4]

Under Sultan Mustafa II, five arches (41-45) were restored, respecting the ancient form. An inscription in situ, dated 1696/97, commemorates the event.[8] His successor Ahmed III repaired again the distribution net.[8]

In 1912, a 50-meter-long part of the aqueduct near the Mosque of Fatih was pulled down.[4] In the same period, a Taksim ("distribution plant", lit. 'division') at the east end was erected. [4]


Description

The Aqueduct of Valens had a length of 971 m and a maximum height of ca. 29 m (63 m above sea level) with a constant slope of 1:1000.[6] Arches 1-40 and 46-51 belong to the time of Valens, arches 41-45 to Mustafa II, and those between 52 and 56 to Suleyman I.[9] Arches 18-73 have a double order, the others a single order.[9][6]

Originally the structure ran perfectly straight, but during the construction of the Mosque of Fatih - for unknown reasons - it was bent in that section.[10] The masonry is not regular, and uses ashlar blocks and bricks.[6] The first row of arches is built with well-squared stone blocks, the upper row is built with four to seven courses of stones alternated with a bed of smaller material (opus caementitium) clamped with iron cramps.[10] The width of the aqueduct varies from 7.75 m to 8.24 m.[6] The pillars are 3.70 m thick, and the arches of the lower order are four meters wide.[10]

The water comes from two lines from the northeast and one coming from the northwest, which join together outside the walls, near the Adrianople Gate (Edirne Kapı).[1] Near the east end of the aqueduct there is a distribution plant, and another lies near Hagia Sophia. The water feeds the zone of the imperial palace.[10] The daily discharge in the 1950s amounted to 6,120 cubic meters.[10] During Byzantine times, two roads important for the topography of medieval Constantinople crossed under the eastern section of the aqueduct.[10]


Notes

^ a: The Nymphaeum, which was called "abundant water" (δαψιλές ὔδωρ, dapsilés hýdor in Greek), was one of the four Nymphaea existing in the city in the first third of the 4th century. Its basin was still functioning in 1577.[11]
^ b: Illus was a magister militum, who played an important role under Emperors Leo I and Zeno. Justinian enlarged an already existing cistern built by Constantine, which was placed under the quadriporticus of the Basilica.[12]