1710 Etat Abrege de la Maison du Grand Seigneur, [Views of Constantinople]

 Etat Abrege de la Maison du Grand Seigneur, [Views of Constantinople] By: Henri Abraham Chatelain Date: 1710 (Published) Paris Dimensions: 13.5 x 17.5 inches (34.3 cm x 44.5 cm) This lovely hand-colored authentic antique map by Chatelain depicts Constantinople in the early years of the eighteenth century with special attention paid in the first illustration to the Serai (Palace) of Topkapi, the grand palace built by the Ottomans on the point of the ‘rhinoceros’ horn’, a term often used to describe the shape of the land jutting out into the sea at this point. The scene from the sea is still recognizable today, as an are of the land below the Palace is yet undeveloped, and portions of the great walls still stand. The accompanying text names and describes the responsibilities of various important members of the Ottoman government, including the Sultan. The central engraving is a panoramic view of the city from the east side of the Bosphorus, which includes all major architectural edific