One of floor mosaics excavated at the Great Palace and dated to the reign of Justinian I. It is presumed to represent a conquered Gothic king.

The Byzantine Great Palace of Constantinople, (Greek: Μέγα Παλάτιον, Turkish: Büyük Saray), also known as the Sacred Palace (Latin: sacrum palatium, Greek: Ιερόν Παλάτιον), was a large palace complex, located in the south-eastern end of the peninsula where the city lies. It served as main residence of the Byzantine emperors from 330 AD to 1081 AD and was the centre of imperial administration for approximately 800 years. Image File history File linksMetadata Greatpalacemosaic. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Greatpalacemosaic. ... Justinian I depicted on one of the famous mosaics of the Basilica of San Vitale. ... What Up. ... Map of Constantinople. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... This is a list of Byzantine Emperors. ...

History

When Constantine I founded the city of Constantinople in 330, he planned out a palace for himself and his heirs. The palace was located between the Hippodrome of Constantinople and Hagia Sophia. Head of Constantines colossal statue at Musei Capitolini Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus[1] (February 27, 272–May 22, 337), commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or (among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic[2] Christians) Saint Constantine, was a Roman Emperor, proclaimed Augustus by his troops on... Events May 11 - Constantine I refounds Byzantium, renames it New Rome, and moves the capital of the Roman Empire there from Rome. ... The Hippodrome today The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a horse-racing track that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire and the largest city in Europe. ... Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia, i. ...

The Palace's structure is considered by scholars to have been a series of pavilions, much like the Ottoman-era Topkapı Palace that succeeded it. It was rebuilt and expanded several times, especially under the emperors Justinian I and Theophilos. It contained among other buildings the throne room of the Chrysotriklinos, the reception halls of the 19 Akkubita, a vast ceremonial suite known as the Palace of Daphne, the Octagon, the emperor's bedchamber, a polo field known as the Tzykanisterion, the palace of Magnavra, where the University was later housed, and the seaside palace of Bucoleon. A passage led directly from Palace grounds to the imperial kathisma in the Hippodrome. The total surface area of the Great Palace exceeded 20,000 square feet. Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem At the height of its power (1683) Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Kostantiniyye (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... Entrance of Topkapı Palace, Babu-s Selam Topkapı Palace Courtyard, Tower of Justice in the rear Topkapı Palace (Topkapı Sarayı in Turkish, literally the Cannongate Palace - named after a nearby gate), located in Istanbul (Constantinople), was the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1465 to 1853. ... Justinian I depicted on one of the famous mosaics of the Basilica of San Vitale. ... Theophilus, in the Chronicle of John Skylitzes Theophilos or Theophilus (Greek: Θεόφιλος), (813 – 842) was Byzantine emperor from 829 to 842. ... Polo is played by two teams each composed of four players mounted on horseback and equipped with long, wooden mallets. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Bucoleon Palace as it survives today The Palace of Bucoleon (Greek: ) was one of the Byzantine palaces in Constantinople. ... The Hippodrome today The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a horse-racing track that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire and the largest city in Europe. ...

Until the late 12th century, the Great Palace served as the primary administrative and ceremonial centre of the city, although since the early Komnenian era the palace of Blachernae was favoured as an imperial residence. During the sack of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade, the Palace was plundered by the soldiers of Boniface of Montferrat. Although the subsequent Latin emperors continued to use the Palace complex, they lacked money for its maintenance. The last emperor, Baldwin II, went as far as removing the lead roofs of the Palace and selling them. Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos The Komnenos or Comnenus (Greek: Κομνηνοί) family was an important dynasty in the history of the Byzantine Empire. ... Blachernae (Greek: ) is a suburb in the northwestern section of Constantinople. ... The Fourth Crusade (1201–1204), originally designed to conquer Jerusalem through an invasion of Egypt, instead, in 1204, invaded and conquered the Eastern Orthodox city of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. ... Boniface of Montferrat (c. ... The Latin Empire, Empire of Nicaea, Empire of Trebizond and the Despotate of Epirus. ... Baldwin II (1217—1273) was the last emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople. ...

Consequently, when the city was retaken by the forces of Michael VIII Palaiologos in 1261, the Great Palace was in a bad state. The Palaiologi emperors largely abandoned it, ruling from Blachernae, so that when Mehmed II entered the city in 1453, he discovered it to be ruined and abandoned. As he wandered its empty halls and pavilions, he allegedly whispered a quote from the Persian poet, Ferdowsi: The Byzantine Empire in 1265 (William R. Shepherd, Historical Atlas, 1911) Michael VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus (Greek: Μιχαήλ Η΄ Παλαιολόγος, Mikhaēl VIII Palaiologos) (1224/1225 – December 11, 1282) reigned as Byzantine emperor 1259–1282. ... Events July 25 - Constantinople re-captured by Nicaean forces under the command of Michael VIII Palaeologus, Byzantine Empire re-formed August 29 - Urban IV becomes Pope, the last man to do so without being a Cardinal first Bela IV of Hungary repels Tatar invasion Charles of Anjou given rule of... The Double-headed eagle, emblem of the Paleologus dynasty and the Byzantine Empire. ... Mehmed II (also known as el-Fatih (الفاتح), the Conqueror, in Ottoman Turkish, or, in modern Turkish, Fatih Sultan Mehmet) (March 30, 1432 – May 3, 1481) (Ottoman Turkish: محمد ثانى Meḥmed-i sānī) was first the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire for a short time from 1444 to 1446, and later... Events May 29 - Fall of Constantinople to Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire). ... The Persians are an Iranian people who speak the Persian language and share a common culture and history. ... Ferdowsi Tousi (فردوسی طوسی in Persian) (more commonly transliterated Firdausi, Ferdosi or Ferdusi) (935–1020) is considered to be one of the greatest Persian poets to have ever lived. ...

"The spider spins his web in the Palace of the Caesars,
An owl hoots in the towers of Afrasiyab."

Much of the palace was demolished in the general rebuilding of Constantinople in the early years of the Ottoman era. However, debris clean-up from an early 20th century fire uncovered a section of the Great Palace. On this site prison cells, many large rooms, and possibly tombs were found following the fire. Contemporary excations are continuing in Istanbul to further uncover the Great Palace of Constantinople. Presently, less than one quarter of the total area covered by the palace has been excavated. Most of the unearthed mosaics have been housed in the Istanbul Mosaic Museum. Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem At the height of its power (1683) Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Kostantiniyye (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... Istanbul (Turkish: , Greek: Konstandinoúpoli, historically known in English as Constantinople; see other names) is Turkeys most populous city, and its cultural and economic centre. ... The Great Palace Mosaic Museum (Büyük Saray Mozaikleri Müzesi), is located in the Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, just opposite to the Hagia Sophia. ...

External links

• Excavations of the Great Palace (with photographs)
• Computer reconstruction of the Great Palace