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victories in Europe and Balkans used
to follow the road called Via Egnetia and pass through
this gate called Porta Aurea with a magnificent ceremony,
follow Messe Street and reach the Grand Empiral Palace
with people welcoming them. In those period, there were
golden and bronze statues on the marble towers. This
gate which was only used by the Emperor was laid with
stones in order to facilitate defense in the regression
period of Byzantines. There is another gate for people
to go in and out of the city. Mehmet
II (the conqueror), who ordered to be constructed three
new towers in line with the others in 1457-58, evaluated
this building as the next police station of the city,
and used it for preserving the palace treasury. After
the treasury was taken to the palace in the period of
Murad III, it was used as a prison for statesmen and
ambassadors. Lions of the palace were cared here for
some time, then it became an arsenal, after being vacant
for some time, it was restored in 1959 and became a
museum. |
