Between Cultural Memory, Landscape and Contemporary Realities: The Land Walls of Byzantine Constantinople, lecture by Alessandra Ricci (Koç University), Institute for Classical Archaeology, University of Vienna, May 21, 2019, 6:00 pm

The land walls of Constantinople represent one of Late Antique and Byzantine architecture`s most iconic monuments.  Built in the early years of the 5th century, the land walls substantially strengthened the city`s defenses while contributing to the creation of the capital`s urban identity. As a powerful monumental and symbolic landmark, it can be imagined that construction of the land walls in the 5th century must have not only changed the perception of the urban space but that it must have also contributed to a radical alteration of the cityscape.

Throughout out its functional life, during the Byzantine and Ottoman times the monument also displayed an architectural and functional resilience. Modernity and contemporary times saw the end of the land walls’ functional life with notable transformations affecting the monument and its surrounding cityscape.

The presentation will reflect on three themes. The first one will be on the usage of space within and around the land walls since their construction.  The second reflection will give centrality to the diachronicity of some of its architectural features whereas issues of public display, public fruition and of interpretation of the monument will represent the final section of the presentation.  

Alessandra Ricci is Associate Professor in the Department of Archaeology and History of Art, Koç University.