istanbul - C2C

erecting columns for the emperors continued.
The Forum of Constantine was built by Emperor
Constantine who made Byzantium the capital of
the empire, and it was decorated with statues
and monuments. The bronze statues were
melted down during the Latin occupation. On top
of the Çemberlitaş, a statue of Constantine used
to stand. However it fell down in a devastating
storm, and killed many passersby. The porphyry
stones making up the shaft of the column were
gradually cracked, and to prevent disintegration
the column was secured by putting iron rings
around it at regular intervals, and gradually its
name came to be known as Çemberlitaş (the
ringed stone). Rumours have it that there was a
chapel under the Çemberlitaş and parts of the
cross used for crucifixion of Christ were buried
there. According to the rumour the column was
built there to protect the entrance to the chapel.
Many people tried to dig tunnels to find the holy
cross, but none of them was successful.
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