DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62355#0269
THE TCHERNBERLE TASCH.
117
among the women, who have a superstitious horror of all innovation, and who
cling to their old habits and their old associations with a perseverance worthy of
a better cause.
The Teskari, or Custom-House, is also situated at Galata, where passengers
and merchandise are landed from the different vessels which are constantly
arriving in the harbour; and the extreme urbanity and politeness of the officers
of the establishment to travellers, has been a constant theme of admiration and
acknowledgment with all sojourners in the East.
When a group of strangers approach the Teskari, the only inquiry made, is,
whether they have brought out any merchandise for the purposes of traffic;
and a simple negative from the parties addressed suffices for the unimpeded
passage of the travellers to their resting-place.
Few are the weary and the wayworn who, at that moment, would wish
themselves at the Custom-house of London, or at one of the still more irritating
Douanes of France !
TRE TCHERNBERLE TASCH.
" A tale of the times of old."
Ossian.
The Tchernberle Tasch, or Burnt Pillar, is a striking Roman remain, within
a short walk of the Seraskier's Tower. It is a relic of.the Temple of Apollo
at Rome, whence it was transported to Stamboul by Constantine, and placed
upon an hexagonal pedestal. It was surmounted by a fine statue of the god,
from the immortal chisel of Phidias, which the conqueror appropriated with more
ambition than modesty, and beneath which he caused to be inscribed, " The Justice
of the Sun to the Illustrious Constantine." The destruction of this noble statue
is variously described by different writers. Genaro Esquilichi asserts that it
was overthrown by a thunderbolt; while the sententious Anna de Comnena
mentions its prostration by a strong southerly wind, during the reign of her
kinsman Alexius; and moreover declares that several persons were killed by its
117
among the women, who have a superstitious horror of all innovation, and who
cling to their old habits and their old associations with a perseverance worthy of
a better cause.
The Teskari, or Custom-House, is also situated at Galata, where passengers
and merchandise are landed from the different vessels which are constantly
arriving in the harbour; and the extreme urbanity and politeness of the officers
of the establishment to travellers, has been a constant theme of admiration and
acknowledgment with all sojourners in the East.
When a group of strangers approach the Teskari, the only inquiry made, is,
whether they have brought out any merchandise for the purposes of traffic;
and a simple negative from the parties addressed suffices for the unimpeded
passage of the travellers to their resting-place.
Few are the weary and the wayworn who, at that moment, would wish
themselves at the Custom-house of London, or at one of the still more irritating
Douanes of France !
TRE TCHERNBERLE TASCH.
" A tale of the times of old."
Ossian.
The Tchernberle Tasch, or Burnt Pillar, is a striking Roman remain, within
a short walk of the Seraskier's Tower. It is a relic of.the Temple of Apollo
at Rome, whence it was transported to Stamboul by Constantine, and placed
upon an hexagonal pedestal. It was surmounted by a fine statue of the god,
from the immortal chisel of Phidias, which the conqueror appropriated with more
ambition than modesty, and beneath which he caused to be inscribed, " The Justice
of the Sun to the Illustrious Constantine." The destruction of this noble statue
is variously described by different writers. Genaro Esquilichi asserts that it
was overthrown by a thunderbolt; while the sententious Anna de Comnena
mentions its prostration by a strong southerly wind, during the reign of her
kinsman Alexius; and moreover declares that several persons were killed by its