The Walls of Trabzon (or the "Walls of ''Trebizond''") are a series of

defensive wall A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications such as curtain walls with t ...

s surrounding the old town of the city of

Trabzon Trabzon, historically known as Trebizond, is a city on the Black Sea coast of northeastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. The city was founded in 756 BC as "Trapezous" by colonists from Miletus. It was added into the Achaemenid E ...

, northeastern

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

. The fortifications are sometimes called the Trabzon Castle (). However, they did not function as a

castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

, rather as city walls. Constructed on foundations dating back to the

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

era with

cut stone Ashlar () is a cut and dressed stone, worked using a chisel to achieve a specific form, typically rectangular in shape. The term can also refer to a structure built from such stones. Ashlar is the finest stone masonry unit, and is generally ...

s from former structures at site, the walls stretch from the hill on the backside of the old town to the

Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...

shore. The walls further divided the city into three parts; the Upper Town or ''"fortress"'' (Yukari Hisar), the Middle Town (Orta Hisar) and the Lower Town (Aşağı Hisar). The upper and middle towns are flanked by steep ravines cut by the Zagnos (Iskeleboz) and Tabakhane (Kuzgun) streams to the west and east respectively, while the lower town extends to the west of Zagnos (see the plan on the right). The Upper Town functioned as the

citadel A citadel is the most fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of ''city'', meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. ...

and as the

acropolis An acropolis was the settlement of an upper part of an ancient Greek city, especially a citadel, and frequently a hill with precipitous sides, mainly chosen for purposes of defense. The term is typically used to refer to the Acropolis of Athens ...

of the city. It is believed that the citadel was built as the first construction in 2000 BC. Some early sources mention the existence of ruins of structures such as

hippodrome Hippodrome is a term sometimes used for public entertainment venues of various types. A modern example is the Hippodrome which opened in London in 1900 "combining circus, hippodrome, and stage performances". The term hippodroming refers to fr ...

, tower, bath and palace. The citadel underwent various modifications in the history. The walls of the Upper Fortress are higher than of the other parts. It is fortified in the south with higher and thicker walls and towers. During the Roman period an aqueduct was built to supply the Upper Town with a freshwater source. The Upper Town was accessible through a double gate with the Middle Town. The imperial palace of the Empire of Trebizond was located in the Upper Town. After the surrender of the city to Ottoman forces a small mosque was built next to the palace. Some epigraphs from Ottoman era, which were found between the citadel walls, can be seen in

Trabzon Museum The Trabzon Museum (), also known as Kostaki Mansion (''Kostaki Konağı''), is a historic house museum with archeological and ethnographic exhibitions located in Trabzon, Turkey. History The mansion was built in the beginning of the 1900s as a ...

. The Middle Town, which was built by

Alexios II of Trebizond Alexios II Megas Komnenos (; Sept./Dec. 1282 – 3 May 1330) was Emperor of Trebizond from 1297 to 1330. He was the elder son of John II and Eudokia Palaiologina. Alexios proved to be a skillful and energetic ruler, under whose rule the Empire ...

(reigned 1297–1330), is the continuation of the upper and lower parts. It has no regular form. Its two gates, Imaret Kapı (literally: Alms Kitchen Gate) and Zağanos Kapı (

Zaganos Pasha Zaganos or Zagan Pasha (, ; 1426 – 1469) was an Ottoman military, Ottoman military commander, with the titles and ranks of ''kapudan pasha'' and the highest military rank, Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, grand vizier, during the reign of ...

Gate) are situated in the west. It has two more gates at other sides, Tabakhane Kapısı (Tannery Gate) and Kule Kapı (Tower Gate). Notable buildings found here are Orta Hisar Mosque (Panagia Chrysocephalos Church), Governor's mansion, Zağanos Bridge, Kule Hamamı (Tower Bath), Çifte Hamma (Twin Bath), Amasya Mosque, Şirin Hatun Mosque and Musa Pasha Mosque. The Lower Town stretches in the west from Zağanos Tower down to the sea. Also this part of the fortifications were built by Alexios II of Trebizond. However, an inscription with the

tughra A tughra (; ) is a calligraphy, calligraphic monogram, Seal (emblem), seal or signature of a sultan that was affixed to all official documents and correspondence. Inspired by the Tamga, tamgha, it was also carved on his seal and stamped on the co ...

of Ottoman sultan

Mehmed II Mehmed II (; , ; 30 March 14323 May 1481), commonly known as Mehmed the Conqueror (; ), was twice the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from August 1444 to September 1446 and then later from February 1451 to May 1481. In Mehmed II's first reign, ...

(reigned 1444–46 and 1451–81) is situated above the gate in the Moloz Tabya (literally: Rubble Bastion). In the east, there are two gates, Pazarkapı (Marketplace Gate) and Mumhane Kapı (Chandlery Gate). Historical buildings around the Lower Fortress are Molla Siyah Mosque (St. Andreas Church), Hoca Halil Mosque, Pazarkapı Mosque, Kundupoğlu and Yarımbıyıkoğlu manions, Sekiz Düzenli Hamam (bath), Tophane Hamamı (bath), Hacı Arif Hamamı (bath) and İskender Pasha fountains. Most of the city walls are still standing and are among the city's oldest buildings. In fact, their oldest part can be dated back to 1st century AD during the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

era. Historical sources provide information about older stages of their construction.

Xenophon Xenophon of Athens (; ; 355/354 BC) was a Greek military leader, philosopher, and historian. At the age of 30, he was elected as one of the leaders of the retreating Ancient Greek mercenaries, Greek mercenaries, the Ten Thousand, who had been ...

, who visited the city in 5th century BC also mentioned the existence of city walls. In 1921, some of the remaining Christians of the city were ordered by the municipal authorities to dismantle the stone of the Comnenos era fortress and use the rubble for road building. During the 20th century the valleys on both the western and eastern sides of the middle and upper towns were built up with illegal constructions, in some cases obstructing the view of the walls. In the last two decades the municipality of Trabzon has initiated a series of redevelopment projects surrounding the old town. As of 2017 the western Zagnos valley has been turned into a park with unobstructed view of the walls and aqueduct, and the illegal constructions in the eastern Kuzgun (or Tabakhane) valley have been torn down. Kuzgun valley will eventually also be turned into a park.

References

External links

Towers of Trabzon (gallery)
{{Trabzon

Gallery

File:Trabzon walls.JPG, Walls File:Trabzon walls3.JPG File:Gates in Trabzon.JPG, A gate File:Trabzon,Ortahisar1.jpg, Ortahisar Mosque (former Panagia Chrysocephalos Church) File:Musa Pasha Camii, Trabzon.JPG, Musa Pasha Mosque Empire of Trebizond Buildings and structures in Trabzon Tourist attractions in Trabzon Province Byzantine walls in Turkey Military history of Trabzon