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Over 6km long, Istanbul's western Land Walls are among the most fascinating Byzantine remains in Turkey. Raised by the Emperor Theodosius II, they are the result of a hasty rebuilding to repel Attila the Hun's forces in 447 AD; an ancient edict was brought into effect whereby all citizens, regardless of rank, were required to help, and sixteen thousand men finished the project in just two months. They originally consisted of an inner wall, 5m thick and 12m high, plus an outer wall of 2m by 8m, and a 20-metre-wide moat. Most of the outer wall and its 96 towers are still standing, and although long sections have been rebuilt rather tastelessly and closed off, untouched sections can still be examined in detail if you're willing to clamber in the dirt and brick dust. Most of the squatters who lived around the western districts of Topkapi and Edirnekapi have been moved on as a road development has engulfed the area, but do pay attention to your personal security here, especially in the evening. To reach the walls, plenty of buses run from Eminonu and Sultanahmet, including bus #80 to Yedikule, #84 to Topkapi and #86 to Edirnekapi, and the tram line runs west from Aksaray to the Topkapi gate. However, the best way is to take the scenic train ride along the coast from Eminonu to YEDIKULE , a district lying at the southern end of the walls in the attractive former Greek quarter of Samatya (apparent from the number of Orthodox churches). It also has a few reasonable restaurants and cafes where you can stop before setting off on your exploration of the walls. The Ottoman fortress of Yedikule , off Yedikule Caddesi, encompasses one of the best-preserved sections of wall, including the legendary Golden Gate . The Gate, flanked by two marble towers, was constructed on this site by Theodosius I in 390, before the walls themselves. It was bricked up in the declining years of the empire, but the shape of the three arches is still visible on both sides of the wall. It takes a degree of imagination, however, to invest the structure with the glamour and dignity it once possessed. The other five towers of the Yedikule fortifications were added by Mehmet the Conqueror, and with their twelve-metre-high curtain walls form an enclave which can be seen today, including two prison towers covered with inscriptions carved into the walls by prisoners. The fortress is open as a museum (Mon, Tues & Thurs-Sun 9.30am-6.30pm; $1), in which the most interesting exhibit is a section of graffiti left by European inhabitants prior to their brutal demise.
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