The next gate along the harbour walls is known today as Ayasma Kapoussi. Historical evidence suggests that this entrance was opened after the Turkish Conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Unlike many older gates of Byzantine origin, this one does not appear in the descriptions of early travelers and historians such as Gyllius, Leunclavius, or Gerlach. Their silence strongly supports the conclusion that Ayasma Kapoussi was a later addition, probably created by the Ottomans to provide easier access to the Golden Horn or nearby districts that developed after the conquest.
Theories on Its Byzantine Origin
Some scholars have speculated that Ayasma Kapoussi might correspond to an earlier Byzantine gate called the Porta Basilike (“Imperial Gate”). This ancient gate was believed to have stood near the Church of St. Acacius ad Caream, an old church dedicated to St. Acacius the Martyr. However, this theory is highly uncertain and probably incorrect Walls Along the Golden Horn.
The Church of St. Acacius is known to have been situated in the Tenth Region of Constantinople, which was part of the city’s upper districts, far from the modern location of Ayasma Kapoussi near the waterfront. The church became famous when Macedonius, the Bishop of Constantinople in the fourth century, ordered the temporary removal of Emperor Constantine the Great’s sarcophagus from the Church of the Holy Apostles on the Fourth Hill. The structure of the Holy Apostles was at that time in danger of collapsing, and the bishop hoped to protect the emperor’s remains until repairs could be made.
The Riot Over Constantine’s Tomb
The bishop’s decision, however, caused public outrage. Many citizens opposed moving the tomb of the city’s founder, seeing it as a desecration of sacred ground. The controversy escalated into a violent riot, during which a number of people were killed. Given the temporary nature of the relocation and the unrest that followed, it is highly unlikely that Constantine’s sarcophagus was carried a long distance—certainly not as far as the area near the modern Ayasma Kapoussi. Instead, it is more reasonable to assume that the Church of St. Acacius was located very close to the Church of the Holy Apostles, perhaps within the same hilltop district Private Turkey Tour Guide.
The Palace and the Porta Basilike
The confusion may stem from ancient references connecting the Church of St. Acacius to an Imperial Palace built by Constantine the Great. This palace was sometimes referred to as the Palace of the Acacii (τὸ πραιτώριον τῶν οἰκημάτων τοῦ μεγάλου Κωνσταντίνου). Some sources describe the church as a small chapel or oratory (οἰκίσκος εὐκτήριος) that stood beside this palace. The palace itself was also called Karya, meaning “the Walnut Tree,” because local legend claimed that St. Acacius had been martyred by hanging on a walnut tree in that area.
From these accounts, it appears that the Porta Basilike—if it indeed existed—was not part of the City Walls of Constantine, as some have believed. Instead, it may have been a private gate or entrance leading into the courtyard of Constantine’s palace, close to the Church of St. Acacius. The “Imperial Gate” would thus have served the palace compound rather than the general public, explaining why later historians did not include it among the official city gates.
In summary, the Ayasma Kapoussi we see today is almost certainly an Ottoman-era construction, not a surviving Byzantine gate. The attempt to identify it with the ancient Porta Basilike or the Church of St. Acacius does not hold up to topographical or historical scrutiny. The old gate of the Basilike likely belonged to the imperial precinct around the Fourth Hill and had no direct connection with the modern harbour walls.
Nevertheless, Ayasma Kapoussi remains an interesting example of how later Ottoman developments adapted and expanded upon the earlier Byzantine urban structure, preserving fragments of ancient history even as the city evolved into a new imperial capital.