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The Bucoleon Palace (Βουκολέων) was one of the Byzantine palaces of Constantinople. The ruins are located in a small park on the Marmara Sea in the Küçük Ayasofya neighborhood. It’s just a short walk east of the Little Hagia Sophia Mosque.
History
The Bucoleon Palace was probably built in the first half of the 5th century, during the reign of Theodosius II. It was rebuilt and expanded by Emperor Theophilos in the mid-9th century, and became the main palace for the Byzantine court until the 11th century. The palace, which once sat directly on the Marmara Sea, also housed the Byzantine regalia and several sacred relics.
Important meetings took place at the palace in the 12th century. In 1161, a state meeting with the Seljuk Sultan of Rum Kılıç Arslan was held there. Emperor Manuel I Komnenos held a church council there in 1166. In 1171, it hosted a meeting with the King of Jerusalem, Amalric.
In 1204, the Latins sacked Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. The leader, Boniface of Montferrat, took the Bucoleon Palace and converted it into the imperial residence. It remained the main palace for the Latin Empire until 1261, when the Byzantines retook the city led by Michael VIII Paleologos. By the time Mehmed the Conqueror took Constantinople in 1453, it lay in ruins.
In 1873, the construction of the Sirkeci railway line required the partial destruction of the palace ruins. Fragments of the palace are on display at the Istanbul Archaeology Museums. The Bucoleon Palace is included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Historic Areas of Istanbul.
Future
As of June 2018, the city of Istanbul announced that the ruins would be restored and turned into an open-air museum. A timber walking trail and underground museum are planned. On my last visit in June 2023, the entire site was covered in tarps and being prepared for reopening.
