On the western headland of the small bay in front of the Bucoleon Harbour stood an old slaughter-house. This building has long been used to identify the nearby gate known as Tchatlady Kapou. The historian Leunclavius notes that the gate’s name comes from this location, since “Tchatlady Kapou” was associated with the place where animals were slaughtered. The slaughter-house was built on a small promontory, close to the water, and was partly outside the city walls, making it easily recognizable to visitors and residents Distinguishing the Palaces of Constantinople.
The Byzantine Palace by the Gate
To the east of the gate, until the late 19th century, there stood a Byzantine palace. Its facade was remarkable, featuring a row of three windows, each framed in marble and supported at either end by the figure of a lion. Leunclavius describes it clearly:
“This gate (Tchatlady Kapou) has on one side of it the marble-framed windows of an ancient building or palace, which rests upon the city walls themselves.”
The palace was built directly on the walls of the city, giving it a commanding view of the bay and the surrounding area. Its architectural style was typical of Byzantine design, with carefully crafted stonework and decorative elements that highlighted its imperial connections.
Accounts by Other Historians
Several other historians and travelers provide descriptions of this palace and gate. Gyllius writes:
“Below the Hippodrome, towards the south, is the Gate of the Marble Lion, which stands outside the city among the ruins of the Palace of Leo Marcellus. The windows of the palace are of ancient workmanship, and are included in the city wall.”
Choiseul-Gouffier, in his Voyage Pittoresque dans l’Empire Ottoman, and Canon Curtis, in Broken Bits of Byzantium, both give visual accounts of the palace as it appeared in their times. Their observations confirm the importance of the location and the beauty of the facade, particularly the lion sculptures that flanked the windows Customized Round Turkey Tours.
Demolition and Legacy
The palace facade was torn down in 1871, and the lion figures were moved to the base of the steps leading to the Imperial School of Art, within the Seraglio enclosure. Although the building itself no longer exists, its historical significance remains. The combination of the slaughter-house, the gate, and the palace illustrates how functional, defensive, and decorative elements were integrated into Byzantine Constantinople’s cityscape.
The gate, palace, and lions together formed an important landmark for travelers arriving by sea and for the local residents, linking the imperial court, the harbour, and the artistic and administrative centers of the city. Even today, records and illustrations from Leunclavius, Gyllius, and others help historians and archaeologists understand the grandeur of the Bucoleon area in Byzantine times.
