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Aerial view of Constantinopolis (Constantinople). The drawing is in landscape format. It is organized within a frame drawn in ink. Traces of watercolor and inscriptions are visible in the margins.
The city lies on the coast of the Sea of Marmara, with the Lycos River running through it. It is protected by a vast fortified enclosure, punctuated by towers and pierced by gates, and supplied with water by an aqueduct that can be seen in the central part of the drawing. Several ports are located along the walls in the lower part of the drawing. A long triumphal way runs the length of the city. It is punctuated by five rectangular or circular forums (Constantine’s Forum), lined with porticoes. Central columns are erected in the Grand Forum and the Forum of Constantine. The street ends in a circus flanked by Justinian’s palace. Nearby is a stadium.