Floral Decorations and Inscriptions
The lower edge of the icon is decorated with a garland of flowers, including roses, tulips, and violets with green leaves. These floral motifs...
The Icon’s Main Figures
The icon shows the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child at its center. Mary is dressed in a green undergarment covered with a bright...
The Prison of St. Diomed
In the neighborhood of the fortifications lay the famous Prison of St. Diomed. This prison witnessed several notable historical events. In 654, Pope Martin...
The Gate of Psamathia
The next gate in the Constantinian walls of Constantinople is known as the Gate of Psamathia, derived from the ancient quarter called Psamathia. The...
Sources on Constantinople’s Gates
The ancient and medieval gates of Constantinople have been described by several historians and chroniclers. Patriarch Constantine, Cedrenus, Xonaras, and Symeon Magister provide important...
Smaller Rivers of Hungary
Besides the large and famous rivers already described, Hungary also contains several smaller rivers that deserve attention. These rivers were mentioned even by ancient...
The Great River Danube in Hungary
The great River Danube, also known in older writings as the Dambius or Ister, flows across the whole of Hungary. No other province enjoys...
The River Sava and Its Long Course
On the same southern side of Hungary flows the noble River Sava, also known in older writings as the Savus. This important river rises...
The Art of Cooking in Byzantine Times
Cooking is an art, not a science. Even when we have recipes, cooks must interpret and change them to make food enjoyable. When there...
The Venetian Quarter of Constantinople Revisited
The exact location and borders of the Venetian quarter in Constantinople remain a major question in historical studies. Most of what we know comes...
