Byzantium nunc Constantinopolis

12x18” · Ink with Monotone Wash on Cotton Rag

This piece is my personal interpretation of Constantinople, inspired by the 16th‑century city view Byzantium nunc Constantinopolis by Georg Braun and Frans Hogenberg, German cartographers whose detailed work captured the city at the height of Ottoman power under Sultan Süleyman I (1520–1566).

Rendered in ink with a wash of monotone color, the map highlights my take on the landmarks that resonate most: Hagia Sophia, the Süleymaniye Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Serpent Column, along with the Theodosian Walls and the Sea of Marmara. This approach emphasizes the structures that define the city’s character and layered history, blending Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman heritage.

Through this sketch, my goal is to honor the architecture, culture, and spirit of Constantinople. By highlighting these landmarks, the map reflects a personal connection to the city and its enduring presence in history, capturing both its strategic grandeur and human scale.