Important Notice: From the comments in several forums about this site and several mails I receive, it came to my attention that the reconstructions on this website give a distorted view of Byzantium to non-specialists of the subject. Please note that after 618 when grain supply from Egypt was cut forever, Byzantine economy never recovered except for a few periods in 8th-9th century. Due to revolts, iconoclasm, great fires, very strong earthquakes, lack of funds to maintain the monuments, reuse of materials, plagues, centuries of time and the most devastating of all: the 4th crusade, Byzantium never looked as good as in many of these reconstructions. Even in 1200 most of the Great Palace was in ruins and was not used anymore. When turks arrived in 1453 the city was a large village with ruins scattered around and in a very sorry state. Reconstructions on this website will try to show the monuments as they were built or modified until 1200 and as if they were maintained properly (which was never the case). I hope this short notice will be enlightning to "some people" who wonder where these monuments have gone!