With the evidence regarding the famous group of the Lion and the Bull, it is clear that the Harbour of the Bucoleon was located in the small bay in front of Tchatlady Kapou. The monument’s precise location, described in detail by Pietro Zen and other sources, confirms the position of the harbour. Byzantine writers consistently place the harbour in this bay, and all the archaeological and historical evidence aligns with this conclusion Customized Turkey Tours.
The Bay and Its Monuments
The shore of the bay, like the Harbour of the Bucoleon itself, was once richly adorned with monumental buildings. Fragments of beautifully sculpted marble, found along the beach and in the water, indicate the grandeur of the structures that once lined the quay. The bay was conveniently close to the Great Palace, making it an ideal location for the emperor’s private harbour.
In addition to the quay and harbour, the ruins of two Imperial villas can still be traced. These villas stood directly on the city walls, right at the water’s edge, with one on a lower level than the other. Their positions match the descriptions of the Palaces of the Bucoleon in historical accounts, confirming that this was indeed the site of the imperial residences and harbour. Such precise correspondence makes the Harbour of the Bucoleon one of the best-attested localities in Byzantine Constantinople.
The Question of Hormisdas
A historical question arises concerning the relationship between this bay and the Palace of Hormisdas. Traditional accounts suggest that the palace on the bay in front of Tchatlady Ivapou was the Palace of Hormisdas, the residence of Justinian the Great while he was heir-apparent, and that the bay itself was the Harbour of Hormisdas The Gate of Tchatlady Kapou.
However, all the evidence—from the Lion and Bull monument to the imperial villas—points to the bay east of Tchatlady Kapou as the location of the Harbour and Palace of the Bucoleon. There are two possible conclusions: either the Palace and Harbour of Hormisdas were located elsewhere, and the bay east of Tchatlady Kapou was always the Bucoleon, or the Palace and Harbour of Hormisdas represent an earlier designation of what later became known as the Bucoleon.
By combining archaeological findings, historical accounts, and topographical analysis, it becomes impossible to dispute the identification of this bay as the Harbour of the Bucoleon. The alignment of ruins, proximity to the Great Palace, and the historical descriptions of Byzantine writers all support this conclusion. While the earlier name “Harbour of Hormisdas” may have been applied at one time, the evidence overwhelmingly confirms that the bay east of Tchatlady Kapou served as the imperial harbour and the site of the Palaces of the Bucoleon, representing one of the most authenticated locations in the topography of Constantinople.
