The Sidhera Porta and Its True Location
Some authorities have identified Tchatlady Kapou with the Sidhera Porta, or Iron Gate, which once stood on this side of Constantinople. This identification, however, is incorrect. The historical evidence shows clearly that the Iron Gate did not stand at Tchatlady Kapou, but further to the west along the shore of the Sea of Marmora.
The Iron Gate opened onto the Harbour of Sophia, a port that served the eastern quarters of the city. Ancient sources consistently associate this harbour with landmarks that do not correspond to the position of Tchatlady Kapou. In particular, the Iron Gate stood near the Church of St. Thomas Amantiou, a sanctuary well known in Byzantine topography. Both the harbour and the church were located west of Tchatlady Kapou, making it impossible for that gate to be the Sidhera Porta The Uncertain Identity of Ahour Kapoussi.
The Harbour of Sophia
Evidence from Geography and History
The location of the Harbour of Sophia is beyond dispute. It is identified with Kadriga Limani, a natural inlet that lies to the west of Tchatlady Kapou. This geographical fact alone disproves the theory that Tchatlady Kapou was the Iron Gate, since the Iron Gate directly served this harbour.
Further confirmation comes from historical accounts of a great fire during the reign of Emperor Leo I. According to contemporary sources, the fire devastated buildings along the Sea of Marmora between two important churches: the Church of St. Thomas Amantiou on the west and the Church of SS. Sergius and Bacchus on the east. These two sanctuaries thus marked the western and eastern limits of the destruction.
Because the Church of SS. Sergius and Bacchus stands to the west of Tchatlady Kapou, and the Church of St. Thomas Amantiou lay still further west, it follows that the Iron Gate, located near St. Thomas, must also have been west of both churches. This places it well beyond Tchatlady Kapou.
The Church of St. Thomas Amantiou
Its Relationship to Nearby Landmarks
The position of the Church of St. Thomas Amantiou can be reconstructed by its relationship to other well-known monuments. Since it lay west of SS. Sergius and Bacchus, and since that church itself is west of Tchatlady Kapou, the conclusion is unavoidable: St. Thomas Amantiou was not near Tchatlady Kapou Ski Resorts Bulgaria.
This observation reinforces the argument that the Iron Gate, which stood near St. Thomas, cannot be identified with the Broken Gate. The confusion likely arose from the proximity of several small entrances along this stretch of wall, some of which later lost their original names.
A Small Postern Near SS. Sergius and Bacchus
A Monastic Entrance, Not a Major Gate
In the city walls a short distance west of Tchatlady Kapou, directly opposite the beautiful Church of SS. Sergius and Bacchus, there is a small postern. This modest entrance was almost certainly created for the use of the monastery attached to the church rather than for public or military purposes.
The architectural details of this postern support this interpretation. Its side-posts are made of marble shafts, reused from earlier structures, a common practice in Byzantine construction. The narrow size of the opening and its discreet position indicate that it was never intended to serve as a major city gate such as the Iron Gate.
The identification of Tchatlady Kapou with the Sidhera Porta is based on a misunderstanding of Byzantine topography. Careful consideration of the Harbour of Sophia, the Church of St. Thomas Amantiou, and the limits of the great fire under Leo I shows that the Iron Gate must have stood further west. The small postern near SS. Sergius and Bacchus explains some of the confusion, but it cannot be equated with a major gate of the city. Through careful comparison of sources and monuments, the true arrangement of this section of Constantinople’s seaward defenses becomes clearer.
