Constantinople From Above Scutari (Chysopolis) on the Asian Side

Lovely view overlooking Constantinople.

This charming view was engraved by R. Brandard after a drawing by the talented William Henry Barton and published by George Virtue in London around 1840. It shows the city of Constantinople, famed capital of the Ottoman Empire, from the hills overlooking the eastern shores of Anatolia. Several locals, likely merchants, are depicted in a largely rural foreground, while the sprawling (and heavily fortified) metropolis can be seen in the background. A handful of locations of interest and geographic features are labeled, including the Hagia Sophia (St. Sophia) and Yedikule Fortress (Seven Towers).