Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1853-11-24
CnNsr,vr1roprr

frHsan from the Sultan--and TO render the visit
less expensive the Franks usually assemble in large
numbers from the various hotels in the city, and
proceed under the guidance of aciceronito examine
the consecrated retreats of the Mnssulmsn, which
but few years since would have been attempted
only at the peril of mans life. Agreeable to ar
rangement our party met at the Hotel Europe
among whom observed representatives from all
the nations that travel and majority from the
United States We crossed the Golden Horn in
caiques to the Svaglio Point upon which stands
the palace formerly occupied by the Sultans. but
now vacant. The enclosures of thsfar-famed palace
occupy the space of the ancient city of Byzantium
on the extreme point of the East promontory,
which stretches towards the continent of Asia, and
forms the entrance to the Bosphorus The Seraglio,
(the splendid work of Mahomed IL is nearly three
miles in circuit it is in triangular form, of which
the longest side faces the city, that on the sea of
Mamora the South; and the other, which forms the
entrance of the port the East. Theapartments are
the top of the hill-and the gardens and conser-
vatories below, extending to the sea. Although the
compass of it is great the outside of the palace
has nothing curious to boast of-haying been built
by different Sultans it presents the appearance of
heap of houses clustering together without any
manner of order. The rooms are well furnished In
the French style---the baths entirely of white
marble-and the fountains exceedingly rich. In
one room we saw a kind of armory in which are
deposited specimens of the weapons formerly in
use amongst the Turks, and Of the strange and
gorgeous costumes of the various dignitaries and
Al. J, hxr
the unpicturesque and incommodous limitations OF
European costume, which the Sultan has condemned
all his employees to wear This collection is extreme
ly rich, and realizes my idea of the magnifeence
| of oriental armour I noticed quite an extensive
collection of French plates on the walls represent
ing the battles of Napoleon. The gardens and hot
houses are well filed with rare fowers-and the
view from the Seraglio window really superb In
one Of the courts we saw the column of Theodosius
about fifty feet high, and of the Corinthian order
1t is surmounted by capital of verde-antique, and
it bears the following inscription "Fortne Reduce
oh deUictos GotloS" Just before leaving the Sc
ragHo we were conducted into small apartment
containing the archives of the country, and the
| Ekenesses of all the Sultans on map. The bed
stead Of Constantine ornamented with precious
stones, was also exhibited in a that contained
large mantel piece covered all over with gems of
the largest and rarest quality
| We next visited the Armory, situated near the
| Scragio, in a building formerly occupied by the
! Greek Church. 1t contains very large stand of
arms, aud many curious implements of warfare
Adjoining the armory is small collection of an
tiques some of which are very interesting. From
this building we repaired to the great mosque of
Santa Sophia, which is without question, the most
magnificent building in the East at is the old
| Consantinope cathedral dedicated to the Eternal
| Wisdom, e.. to the Second Divine Person asso-
ciated even by Solomon with Jehovah in the crea-
ton of the world The fate of this ilustrious mon
ument of the new Greek architecture during the
last 1900 years. from its first construction down to
the present time, is repete with interest to every
one acquainted with the history of Constantinople
''The building was completed by Justinian, who
drove on Chrstmas.eve, in the year 538, with four
horses, from the palace above the Augustian to the
church. slaughtered 1000 oxen, 1000 sheep, 600
deer, 1000 pigs, 10000 cocks and hens, and during
the three hours 80 900 measures of corn were dis
tributed among the poor" Accompanied by the
ran alone from the entrance of the halls to the pull
pit, where with outstretched arms, he cried" God
be praised aOho hath esteemed a0ortAy TO complete
such aOork Solomon, / hare surpassed AeeF AT
ter the distribution of the corn by the magister,
Stategus, 300 cwt of gold were divided among the
people Sta. Sophia is in the form of Greek-cross
of which the upper end where stood the altar, is
turned towards the east the lower end towards the
west and the two sides towards the north and SOUTH
The east side is towards the square of the Serago
"a part of tie ancient Augustion) The south side
is towards the walls of the Seraglo, extending OPP
posite to them. Three of the sides are surrounded
by vaulted colonnades, covered with cupalos
was somewhat disappointed with the external APP
pearance of this mosque but the interior realized all
my expectations.
From Santa Sophia we visited the mosque of Sui
tan Aclnned, which also occupies part of the HIP
pOdrome and is not only the chiefof all the mosques,
but it is the only one in the whole Ottoman empire
which has six minerets i. E., two more than Aja
Sofa, the Suleimange, and even the mosque of the
sacred house at Mecca. The most remarkable fea-
ture in this mosque is the four enormous columns
whose thickness bears proportion to their height
and each Of which is divided into three parts
The circumference of each measures thirty-six yards
They support the dome and rise outside at its four
sides, like so many small towers. The cupola of
the great dome is surrounded by four half cupoas, |
each of which is joined by two entirely round Gu
polas which form exactly behind the four pillars,
the four corners ofthe mosque which, therefore, APP
pears the outside to be..composed of nine cupo-
las. The floor Of the mosque is covered with
magnificent Turkish carpet, and Korans of every
FORM and in the most beautiful writing lie on glded
affairs inlad with mother of pearl. None of the
mosques is rich in valuables of every kind, which
are here partly preserved, party suspended on the
wreath Of the lamps, and in the mosque itself Its
founder, Sultan Achmed, the First one of the most
pous princes of the Ottoman empire, richly en-
dowed this his favorite work, and his example was
followed by the nobility
The Hippodrome was at one time rich in nonu-
ments but now only three remain in the Atmeidan,
VIZ The obelisk of granite, or Thebaie stone which
was set up second time by the Emperor Theodos
us is four cornered pyramid, of one single piece