Do you see those intertwined bronze serpents? This is the Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun. It is also known as the Serpent Column. Today we will unravel its story.
The Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun is one of Istanbul’s oldest large monuments from the classical period. Imagine it standing here for millennia. It has seen empires rise and fall.
This ancient Greek monument depicts three intertwined piton snakes. The Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun stands in Sultanahmet Square. This was once the Hippodrome.
The bronze column has 29 segments that survive today. It was erected in 479 BC. This marked the victory of Greek cities against the Persian army. The Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun was originally dedicated at the Apollo temple in Delphi.
Emperor Constantine brought the Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun to Istanbul in 324 AD. People believed it had magical powers. It was said to protect the city from pests and reptiles. Only five meters of the Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun remain. The upper and lower parts are broken.
Two of the snake heads are missing. The third head is in the Istanbul Archeology Museum. In 479 BC the united Greek cities defeated the Persians at the Battle of Platea. They melted bronze spoils from the war. They built this monument. It stood opposite the Apollo temple in Delphi.
The figures of three intertwined snakes were chosen. Myth says Apollo killed a three headed snake. The Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun stood on a bell shaped pedestal. The snake heads had a gold or gold plated cauldron. A fire burned constantly in the cauldron. The Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun was made using a unique casting technique. It was hollow and 6.5 meters high. With the cauldron it reached 8 meters.
Sparta King Pausanias a war hero inscribed his name on the base. He claimed sole credit for the victory. The Spartans soon removed the inscription. The names of 31 Hellenic city states were engraved on the Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun. These names are still visible today. They are on the northeast side facing the Sultanahmet Mosque.
The inscriptions are written in the Laconic alphabet. They start at the 13th turn and continue to the 2nd turn. There is writing on 11 turns between the 3rd and 13th turns. The list mentions all Helen city states. They participated in all Persian wars.
The artist and construction site of the Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun are unknown. It may have been made on Aigina Island in Greece. This island was famous for bronze casting.
The golden cauldron was melted down between 357 346 BC. This paid for war expenses. Only the snake spirals remained. The Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun guarded the temple and city. It protected against snakes scorpions and insects.
Written sources say the Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun was brought from Delphi. This happened no later than the early 5th century AD. Most scholars agree it came to Constantinople in the 4th century AD. Emperor Constantine brought it to his new capital. Constantinople suffered from snake and insect infestations. Constantine wanted to rid the city of pests.
The Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun may have been damaged during relocation. It was placed on the Hippodrome’s spine in the 9th century. The Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun survived the looting by the Crusaders in 1204. It served as a fountain.
European traveler A de la Motraye saw the Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun with three snake heads in 1699. There are stories about how the heads were lost. One says Fatih Sultan Mehmet broke a snake’s jaw. Evliya \u00c7elebi said a janissary broke one head. This broke the spell protecting the city from snakes.
Another account says the snake heads were broken off. This happened on November 20 1700. Polish ambassador Viniava Lescynski’s men may have done it.
Architect Fossati found one snake head in 1848. He was restoring Hagia Sophia. It is now in the Istanbul Archeology Museum.
British archaeologist Charles Thomas Newton worked around the Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun in 1855 1856. He excavated the column and its base. Scholars read and evaluated the inscriptions. They identified it as the monument Pausanias saw in Delphi.
English archaeologist Stanley Casson conducted a second excavation in 1927. This revealed the Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun was brought here in the late Byzantine era. It was converted into a fountain.
A bronze copy of the Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun was placed in Delphi in 2015. The names of the city states are visible on the copy. These are no longer visible on the original.
In 2007 restorers carved Sur A\u015e 2007 on the Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun. This shows that even ancient monuments are not safe from vandalism.
The Y\u0131lanl\u0131 S\u00fctun stands as a testament to history. It connects us to ancient Greece and Byzantium. It has survived wars earthquakes and neglect. May it continue to inspire awe for generations.