Location and Historical Context
In the district known as the Kynegon, there once stood a gate called the Gate of St. John the Forerunner and Baptist (Πύλη τοῦ Ἁγίου Προδρόμου καὶ Βαπτιστοῦ). This gate was located near the Church of St. Demetrius, an important landmark in the same area. Its position within the Kynegon quarter places it close to the modern Balat Kapoussi, on the northern shore of the Golden Horn.
The name of the gate was probably inspired by one of two nearby churches dedicated to St. John the Baptist. The first was the great Church and Monastery of St. John the Baptist in Petra, which stood on the higher ground above Balat Kapoussi. The second, smaller church of the same dedication may have occupied the site of the present-day Church of St. John the Baptist that stands on the shore to the north-east of Balat Kapoussi Imperial Gate Kynegos.
Because of these strong religious associations, it is easy to see why a nearby entrance to the city might have been known as the Gate of St. John.
Relationship to the Gate of the Kynegos
A long-standing question among historians is whether the Gate of St. John and the Gate of the Kynegos were actually one and the same. The evidence is not completely clear, and opinions differ.
Some scholars believe that the Gate of St. John was a separate gate, which has since disappeared. Others, including Dr. Mordtmann, suggest that the Gate of St. John was identical with the Gate of the Kynegos, which he identifies as the archway decorated with the relief of the winged figure (Nike).
However, even if one accepts that the Gate of the Kynegos was in fact Balat Kapoussi, the two gates might still represent the same entrance known by different names at different times—one emphasizing its religious connection to St. John, and the other its imperial or courtly function as the Gate of the Hunter Turkey Private Round Tour.
Evidence from Byzantine Sources
Further support for this identification comes from the historian Pachymeres, who records that a great fire in 1308 destroyed the area stretching from the Gate of the Kynegos to the Monastery of the Forerunner (St. John the Baptist). This suggests that the church and the gate were located very close to one another, possibly forming part of the same neighbourhood complex.
Moreover, the Chrysobull (imperial decree) of Emperor John Palaiologos refers to a Gate of St. John near the water, with a large area outside the walls that contained many buildings. This confirms that the gate was not only important religiously but also served as a busy access point to the harbour area. The same document also mentions Kanabus, the namesake of the Church of St. Demetrius, further linking the Gate of St. John to the vicinity of Balat Kapoussi.
The Nearby Gate of the Phanar
The next gate to the east was the one known in Turkish as Fener Kapoussi, and in older sources as the Porta Phani or Porta del Pharo. These names clearly reflect the Byzantine origin of the term Phanarion (τὸ Φανάριον), meaning “the place of the lantern” or “the beacon.” The earliest known use of this name appears in a document from 1351, showing that the quarter was already known as Phanari before the Ottoman conquest.
This name suggests that a beacon light or lighthouse once stood near this section of the harbour walls, serving both navigational and defensive purposes for ships entering the Golden Horn.
In summary, the Gate of St. John the Forerunner and Baptist was an important entrance in the Kynegon district, closely connected with the religious and imperial life of Byzantine Constantinople. Whether or not it was identical to the Gate of the Kynegos, it stood in a significant area that combined churches, palaces, and harbour facilities. Together with the Phanar Gate to the east, it formed part of a strategic and sacred section of the northern walls—where the spiritual, political, and maritime life of the empire met.