DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4263#0039
38
OF THE OCTOGON TOWER OF ANDRONICUS CYRRHESTES.
it accessible. There were originally two doors to this building; one of them on the north-east side,
which is the entrance already mentioned, and is still in use; the other is on the north-west side, but re-
mains totally closed up and concealed, by that quantity of soil and rubbish, which has so considerably
raised the surface of the ground here and in this neighbourhood: so great an accumulation of earth
has likewise considerably diminished the apparent height of this building, and of consequence, has
absolutely destroyed whatever beauty might originally result from its general proportions. It is more-
over much encumbered, and in great part shut up from view, by the ordinary houses near it, and by
the walls of those little enclosures which belong to them ; besides which all the moulding within reach
are so defaced, that it is scarcely possible to determine what was their original form.
From such disadvantageous circumstances it is, that this building does not, at its first appear-
ance, present the spectator with an idea of any extraordinary beauty, or immediately give him that
pleasure, which he will receive on a more particular examination of it.
The roof, besides being curious for its construction, is of a form remarkably elegant, and
wherever it can be seen, has a very fine effect. The figures on the sides of the octogon, are noble,
bold pieces of sculpture, both for the design and execution, and ingeniously express the characters of
the winds they are intended to represent. Under each of these figures there is a sun-dial; and as the
east dial is only the west dial reversed, and as the noon-day line in the south dial, is a perpendicular
from wlwch the hour-lines belonging to the fore noon, are equally distant with the correspondent hour-
lines belonging to the afternoon, it is obvious, that the astronomer who marked out these dials, sup-
posed the sides of this octogon tower, exactly fronted the four cardinal points of the horizon, and the
four principal intermediate points: and it appears that he was not mistaken; for on applying to its
western side (which, according to this supposition, should be in the plane of the meridian), a magne-
tic needle, made for such purposes under the direction of the ingenious and accurate Dr. Knight, it
deflected from this side towards the west, about 12° 55'; which as far as could be ascertained by re-
peated meridian observations of the sun, was at that time the magnetic variation at Athens.
To trace the original form of this building it was necessary to make several considerable exca-
vations. The first was a trench along the south east side; where at the depth of about fourteen feet
the upper step appeared, and after that two others, and at length the pavement. The trench was then
carried round the angle at the southern extremity of this side, with an intent to continue it likewise
along that side which fronts the south ; but here the workmen were soon stopped by a wall which pro-
jected from it, and which appeared evidently to be an original part of the building; for not only the
same ranges of masonry are continued here, but many of the blocks of marble are so wrought, as to
be placed partly in the face of the octogon, and partly in this new discovered wall: on farther search,
it was found to be built on a plan which is about three fourths of a circle, and to project from the
south side of the octogon, after the manner of a modern bow-window. The next place that seemed
to demand some attention, was on the north west side; where under the figure of Skiron, there re-
mained some faint traces of the other door, which it was now resolved to examine. Here on remov-
ing a great quantity of earth, not only the door case appeared, but also the greater part of two fluted
columns, standing on the steps before it, were found in their original situations; many fragments of
the entablature and pediment they had supported, were likewise dug up ifl making these researches :
all which furnished abundant materials for restoring this edifice to the form in which it is represented
Plate XIV, Fig. 1. every part of which is fairly made out from remains found on the spot, except
only the conical marble on the top of the roof, with the triton which is supported by it; these are taken
from the description of Vitruvius, and are added here for the sake of giving the reader a more perfect
idea of this building, and the general effect of it when the whole was complete.
This tower is now become a Turkish chapel, and is called the Teckeh; it is at present a place
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OF THE OCTOGON TOWER OF ANDRONICUS CYRRHESTES.
it accessible. There were originally two doors to this building; one of them on the north-east side,
which is the entrance already mentioned, and is still in use; the other is on the north-west side, but re-
mains totally closed up and concealed, by that quantity of soil and rubbish, which has so considerably
raised the surface of the ground here and in this neighbourhood: so great an accumulation of earth
has likewise considerably diminished the apparent height of this building, and of consequence, has
absolutely destroyed whatever beauty might originally result from its general proportions. It is more-
over much encumbered, and in great part shut up from view, by the ordinary houses near it, and by
the walls of those little enclosures which belong to them ; besides which all the moulding within reach
are so defaced, that it is scarcely possible to determine what was their original form.
From such disadvantageous circumstances it is, that this building does not, at its first appear-
ance, present the spectator with an idea of any extraordinary beauty, or immediately give him that
pleasure, which he will receive on a more particular examination of it.
The roof, besides being curious for its construction, is of a form remarkably elegant, and
wherever it can be seen, has a very fine effect. The figures on the sides of the octogon, are noble,
bold pieces of sculpture, both for the design and execution, and ingeniously express the characters of
the winds they are intended to represent. Under each of these figures there is a sun-dial; and as the
east dial is only the west dial reversed, and as the noon-day line in the south dial, is a perpendicular
from wlwch the hour-lines belonging to the fore noon, are equally distant with the correspondent hour-
lines belonging to the afternoon, it is obvious, that the astronomer who marked out these dials, sup-
posed the sides of this octogon tower, exactly fronted the four cardinal points of the horizon, and the
four principal intermediate points: and it appears that he was not mistaken; for on applying to its
western side (which, according to this supposition, should be in the plane of the meridian), a magne-
tic needle, made for such purposes under the direction of the ingenious and accurate Dr. Knight, it
deflected from this side towards the west, about 12° 55'; which as far as could be ascertained by re-
peated meridian observations of the sun, was at that time the magnetic variation at Athens.
To trace the original form of this building it was necessary to make several considerable exca-
vations. The first was a trench along the south east side; where at the depth of about fourteen feet
the upper step appeared, and after that two others, and at length the pavement. The trench was then
carried round the angle at the southern extremity of this side, with an intent to continue it likewise
along that side which fronts the south ; but here the workmen were soon stopped by a wall which pro-
jected from it, and which appeared evidently to be an original part of the building; for not only the
same ranges of masonry are continued here, but many of the blocks of marble are so wrought, as to
be placed partly in the face of the octogon, and partly in this new discovered wall: on farther search,
it was found to be built on a plan which is about three fourths of a circle, and to project from the
south side of the octogon, after the manner of a modern bow-window. The next place that seemed
to demand some attention, was on the north west side; where under the figure of Skiron, there re-
mained some faint traces of the other door, which it was now resolved to examine. Here on remov-
ing a great quantity of earth, not only the door case appeared, but also the greater part of two fluted
columns, standing on the steps before it, were found in their original situations; many fragments of
the entablature and pediment they had supported, were likewise dug up ifl making these researches :
all which furnished abundant materials for restoring this edifice to the form in which it is represented
Plate XIV, Fig. 1. every part of which is fairly made out from remains found on the spot, except
only the conical marble on the top of the roof, with the triton which is supported by it; these are taken
from the description of Vitruvius, and are added here for the sake of giving the reader a more perfect
idea of this building, and the general effect of it when the whole was complete.
This tower is now become a Turkish chapel, and is called the Teckeh; it is at present a place
J
•
-jovtf
■£fl
#
^
M*
ce
OF 1
/ti'i
M^ 1, the-
able, *at the,
uedinastrai
cular b
i&
continue1
tiered
t0 recollect
ntobeenalreaay
-h«BT off-the waste
will be made
in wb
^floatte
. . vtbemanner
staeance destroyed -. to g
$ flu to propose a conj
j for the
,a this place, by which
Viing of a humilial
ioiiititk faces of the Coryba
ail (fas occasionally join 1
Bkhfjietrnd, that during
j enjoy an abstractic
ifestimt always otherways posse
iftsiafiijoatlie ground in a c
smimfa tambours begin to
I Ala', 'God. There
wiring their bodies
-^■'.K rise, and hand in
^Wiwls increase, when sue
*fctest and with extendei
^Arityandissoonfo
-Mill at length tl
^ttorehVishtheir
JftWonishedFran
^»Hhadvj
■>*Thatb
Scours
^uidaso,
' Se<5»5 Stl