The column is carved from red-grey
Egyptian
granite, in two sections. The quadrilateral basis is encased by four slabs of white
marble. Three faces are decorated with
IX monograms within
medallions, and the fourth with two
genii supporting a
globe. The column is topped by a
Corinthian capital, decorated with
aquilae. The inscription confirms that the capital was originally surmounted by a statue of Marcian, in continuation of an imperial architectural tradition initiated by the
Column of Trajan and the
Column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome. The basis of the column is orientated northwest/southeast, while its capital is aligned north/south, possibly so that the statue could look towards the nearby
Church of the Holy Apostles. A
Latin dedicatory inscription is engraved on the northern side of the basis. Its lettering was originally filled with bronze, which has since been removed. The inscription reads: [PR]INCIPIS HANC STATUAM MARCIANI | CERNE TORUMQUE | [PRAE]FECTUS VOVIT QUOD TATIANUS | OPUS (Behold this statue of the
princeps Marcian and its base,a work dedicated by the prefect Tatianus.) The Turkish name
Kıztaşı, "the column of the girl" (
kız: "girl" +
taş: "stone"), apparently derives from the
genii on the basis, which during the Ottoman period were the column's most distinguishing features (after the loss of Marcian's statue). ==Gallery==