The Age Value of the Monument Today
Today, the progress of the modern city has overrun the monument only leaving behind a deteriorated column devoid of any cultural symbols. In 1453, after the fall of Constantinople, the cross atop the column was removed. The Ottoman Turks did not practice Christianity, and again the monument was altered to represent the state of the land. The now renamed city of Istanbul is metaphorically similar to the column as both have indistinct identities. The lack of a symbol topping the column only serves to show that of all cultures in Istanbul today there is no clear winner.
Alois Riegl in The Modern Cult of Monuments categorized monuments into three types: age value, intentional commemorative value, and unintentional monuments – the column achieved two of these categorizations throughout its history. At its foundation, the site was created with intentional commemorative value as it was a statement to the forces of nature that human accomplishments were powerful enough to dominate the world. But as history shows, the control the empire once had is nonexistent today transitioning this monument into its second category, age value. The condition of the column today has multiple indicators of the effects of time. Iron bands fitted after the earthquake of 416, scorch marks from the various times that Constantinople was sacked, and lack of a crowning all contribute to the ruins representing the ruin of the Byzantium Empire. The Column of Constantine is an expansive lieu de mémoire encompassing cultural history and historical time periods that define our modern world.
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