Kıztaşı
An Iconic Monument of Istanbuls History
The base of this column, made of red-grey Egyptian granite and consisting of two parts, has four faces and is made of white marble. This column, which has medallions decorated with Greek crosses on all three sides, was popularly called Kıztaşı because of the Nike statue on its pedestal. The Corinthian cap on the column is thought to be the pedestal of one of the statues of Emperor Marcian.
It is rumoured that the bronze statue of Emperor Marcian on the Kıztaşı was taken from Istanbul to Bari by the Venetians in the 13th century and is now the statue of Barletta. According to a legend in Derman Bayladıs Journey to History in the Heart of Istanbul: Monuments-Occurrences-Myths, during the construction of Hagia Sophia, a young girl travelled to Hagia Sophia with a huge column on her back.
A jinn she meets on the way asks her where she is taking the column. The girl replies that she is taking the pillar to Hagia Sophia and wants to contribute to the construction of the church. The genie tells the girl that the church is already finished and to leave the pillar. The girl is very upset, but she believes the jinns words and returns to the place where she left the pillar. After a while, the girl realises that the genie has deceived her and goes back to get the pillar. However, despite all her efforts, she cannot move the pillar. This shows that the girl lost her talismanic power and the pillar has remained where it was ever since. Kıztaşı, one of the mysterious columns of Istanbul, is an important part of the historical and cultural texture of the city.