Blachernae

Blachernae is a suburb in the north west of Constantinople, which was up to the extension of the wall ring 627 outside. Aelia Pulcheria built in the 5th century, Justinian I in the 6th century and others were here churches, Alexios I built here in the 11th century a new imperial palace. Under Alexios successors of the Blachernae Palace was the main residence of the Byzantine emperors.

The weakness of the palace was his safety. The city walls were still relatively weak, were reinforced only by the walls of the palace itself, which the participants of the Crusade of 1101 and the Fourth Crusade in 1204 took advantage of when they entered the palace.

In Blachernae the Church of Saint Mary of Blachernae, the second most important church of Constantinople was after the Hagia Sophia, if only because of the proximity to the imperial palace. Here and not in the Hagia Sophia was 1347 John VI. Cantacuzenus crowned.

At the siege of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453 Blachernae was attacked with big guns, which almost completely destroyed the ramparts.

After the conquest of the city, the royal residence was moved to the Topkapi Palace and the Blachernae suburb ( with the exception of the Porphyrogenitus Palace ) fell into disrepair.

• History of Istanbul
• Geography (Istanbul)