Byzantine Monuments of Istanbul is a handsomely published volume in large format on fine paper with over fifty color plates, fifty-three line diagrams, over one hundred half-tone images and close to three hundred pages of text. It is bound in a cloth hardback cover with a color jacket showcasing the exquisite mosaic of Christ Pantokrator from the parekklesion of the Fethiye Camii. The publication enticingly invites prospective readers to step back into the Byzantine past of one of Europe's great urban centers, the city of Istanbul. Lured by the promise of fine visual documentation, the reader also anticipates an engaging and informative text authored by John Freely, professor of Physics at the University of the Bosphorus, and Ahmet S. Cakmak, professor emeritus in the Department of Civil Engineering and Operations Research at Princeton University. John Freely has written numerous books on the monuments of Istanbul, including the indispensable guidebook Strolling Through Istanbul: A Guide to the City, and Ahmet S. Cakmak has published extensively on Byzantine architecture. In a number of ways, Byzantine Monuments of Istanbul lives up to the promises of its dust jacket. The text introduces readers to historical personalities and events that engendered the construction of the monuments covered in the book; and general views, diagrams and/or plans accompany descriptions of the structures. Yet, the text and illustrations also seem uncomfortably at odds with the book's format. Despite its size, fine binding and numerous reproductions, Byzantine Monuments of Istanbul presents neither a methodical nor a superbly illustrated coverage of the Byzantine remains in the city.
Byzantine Monuments of Istanbul is a chronological survey of the remains of Constantinople arranged in thirteen chapters. Chapters one through four deal with the pre-Justinianic period, five through seven with the reign of Justinian (chapter six being entirely dedicated to the Hagia Sophia), eight through ten with the Middle Byzantine period, and chapters eleven through thirteen with the Latin occupation of Constantinople and the Late Byzantine period. Each chapter begins with a brief outline of the historical, social and cultural context of the treated chronological period and is then subdivided into individual sections on select architectural monuments of the time. These sections offer general descriptions of the main features of the monuments and provide short overviews of their immediate historical context. Chapters five and six forgo this arrangement due to their subject matter. In chapter five, entitled "The Reign of Justinian," sections dedicated to historical personalities and events are interspersed with those on Justinian's no longer extant monuments, surviving shrines, and administrative and military achievements. In chapter six, dedicated to the Hagia Sophia, sections address separate aspects of the architecture and decoration of the cathedral church. Overall the writing is clear and straightforward. While there is no continuous narrative to lead the reader through the book, and no analysis or interpretation of the monuments is undertaken, the recounting of historical anecdotes enlivens the text.
With Thomas F. Mathews's book Byzantine Churches of Constantinople (1972) out of print, a text surveying the Byzantine monuments of Istanbul is a much welcomed publication. Unfortunately, Byzantine Monuments of Istanbul cannot serve as a substitute for the Thomas F. Mathews's book. It is neither a survey of the known, nor of the extant Byzantine monuments of Istanbul, but rather presents a selective coverage of monuments from both groups. Furthermore, it does not provide a systematic, scholarly record of the monuments covered. The historical information is general and anecdotal, and the photographs and diagrams of the structures, for the most part, are neither of the quality one would expect for a luxury publication, nor do they sufficiently document the architectural forms to make them useful for further analysis of the monuments. The book also does not provide further bibliography on the treated monuments.
While Byzantine Monuments of Istanbul, does not fulfill the role of a research resource for anyone seriously investigating the architecture or urban landscape of Constantinople, it offers a standard, general introduction to the monuments that once lined the streets of a great imperial urban center. In conjunction with other texts, readers unfamiliar with but interested in Constantinople, will find the book a pleasant way to make acquaintance with a fascinating subject. I can also envision selecting Byzantine Monuments of Istanbul as a course text in an upper-level undergraduate seminar on the Byzantine capital. The rather conventional historical treatment of the monuments, however, would require complementary texts to encourage broader conceptual approaches to the material, and the price of the hard bound edition may be prohibitive for students. For readers interested in Byzantine monuments planning a trip to Istanbul, Byzantine Monuments of Istanbul may prove an interesting read, but Strolling through Istanbul: A Guide to the City (co-authored by Hilary Sumner-Boyd and John Freely) highlights the most important of the Byzantine monuments, presents insight into their later history under the Ottoman Empire, and, appreciably, is published in a affordable and portable guide book format with structured daily excursions. Regardless of the objective of prospective readers, it seems a shame to publish such a luxury volume without reproductions of corresponding quality. But readers who are interested in acquiring a broad historical overview of Byzantine history centered on the monuments of Constantinople, and who can afford to invest in this volume, will find Byzantine Monuments of Istanbul both informative and enjoyable.