Monastic Pathways on the Fourth and Fifth Hills of Constantinople (Eleventh–Fifteenth Centuries)

Abstract

The area between the so-called Fourth and Fifth hills of Constantinople is known for its monasteries, especially those from the Komnenian and Palaiologan periods. In general, this part of the city was less urbanised and was therefore suitable for monastic life, but it was intimately connected with various aspects of social, economic, and scholarly activity. The present article examines monuments and itineraries in this area within the urban context and the ceremonial topography of medieval Constantinople in order to highlight the place of these monastic neighborhoods in the Byzantine capital’s public life.