Section E was a stairway turret, a round tower that contained a spiral ramp instead of steps. This inclined plane wrapped around a central column called the newel (e), allowing people to go up and down the tower. Today, the turret is filled with earth and debris up to the same level as the vestibule b, making it impossible to go down any further. Still, it is clear that the ramp once reached down to the original floor of the vestibule and to the gateway /. From there, it likely continued to the tunnel Z and the postern in the counter-fort.
We do not know if this stairway also connected to the chambers marked C C C, as the current conditions do not allow full exploration. The breach in wall g was most likely made to create a new connection between the stairway, vestibule b, and tunnel Z, after the original paths were blocked or buried by raising the floor levels A Complex and Evolving Structure.
Design and Features of the Stairway
The spiral stairway winds thirteen times around the central column and goes almost to the top of the turret. The summit of the turret was open and located at the same level as the courtyard of the Palace of Blachernae. However, access to the top was controlled—one could only reach it by using a ladder, which was likely removable and could be pulled up to prevent unauthorized entry. For security reasons, the opening was probably closed with a strong iron door.
Loop-Holes and Light Openings
The turret walls were pierced by four loopholes—two on top of the other—facing northwest and northeast. The two lower loopholes are now blocked, but the upper ones were enlarged and now lead to a large L-shaped chamber in the upper floor of the tower. This upper chamber lies directly above both Chamber F and vestibule b.
The Upper Chamber
This upper room measures about 39 feet by 33 feet and had a large square window in the northwestern wall, allowing plenty of light. There was a round opening in the floor that looked down into Chamber F, and another circular opening in the ceiling that gave access to the roof of the tower Private Turkey Tours.
The chamber walls were built with many air passages to prevent moisture and help ventilation. The walls were lightly covered with plaster, and the arched ceiling was probably hidden by wooden paneling, based on the presence of small slots for wooden beams. In fact, one piece of a wooden cross-beam still remains in its original place, giving us direct evidence of the ceiling’s former structure.
This stairway turret and its surrounding chambers show a highly intelligent design, likely intended for security, surveillance, and private access to the palace grounds. The presence of concealed upper rooms, removable ladders, ventilation systems, and restricted access points suggests the space was used not only for passage but also as a guarded and well-defended part of the Blachernae complex. Despite the layers of soil and damage, many architectural clues remain to help us understand the original design and function of this important area.
