Constantinople

audiobook

Constantinople

by Théophile Gautier

FR·~10 hours·34 chapters

Chapters

34 total
1

THÉOPHILE GAUTIER

0:01
2

CONSTANTINOPLE

1:51
3

I EN MER

28:56
4

II MALTE

26:15
5

III SYRA

25:52
6

IV SMYRNE

27:06
7

V LA TROADE, LES DARDANELLES

26:33
8

VI LE PETIT CHAMP, LA CORNE-D’OR

18:10
9

VII UNE NUIT DU RAMADAN

22:11
10

VIII CAFÉS

17:36

Description

In this lyrical travel memoir, a restless French writer sets out for Constantinople, driven by a desire to see the world. From the bustling port of Marseille to shimmering Bosphorus, he records the sights, sounds, and smells of a city where Europe and Asia meet. His prose blends reflection with vivid description, turning ordinary moments—like the chatter of exotic birds in a market—into portals to deeper cultural insight. The narrative captures the tension between comfort and adventure, reminding listeners that the call of the unknown outweighs the pull of familiar routine.

The book is a snapshot of 19th‑century travel, rich with detail yet alive with the author's playful curiosity. He compares customs he encounters with those of his native France, noting everything from gestures of courtesy to the architecture of mosques. Readers will hear the rhythm of his observations, the humor in his comparisons, and the reverence he feels for the beauty that makes the divine seem near. A companion for anyone who loves to wander through words, it invites you to embark on a journey without leaving your seat.

Details

Language

fr

Duration

~10 hours (623K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Original publisher

France: Bibliothèque Charpentier, 1891.

Credits

Laurent Vogel and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)

Release date

2023-06-27

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Théophile Gautier

Théophile Gautier

1811–1872

A vivid voice of 19th-century French literature, he brought poetry, novels, travel writing, and art criticism together with a strong belief in beauty for its own sake. Best known for works like Mademoiselle de Maupin, Captain Fracasse, and Émaux et Camées, he helped shape the movement later linked with "art for art’s sake."

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