In 1855 Victor Godart-Faultrier decided to travel to the East accompanied by his wife and son. His friend V. Guerin, former member of the French School in Athens, guaranteed the expenses of a scientific mission whose object would be to study Byzantine monuments in Athens and Istanbul, and advised him against travelling in the Eastern Mediterranean during the warm summer months.

Godart kept notes from his journey in the form of letters, which he addressed to eminent people of Angers. The content of the letters as well as the drawings made by Godart and his son were greatly appreciated by experts, who encouraged Godart to publish his work.

They reached Syros by way of Sicily and Malta, subsequently stopped over at Tinos, Andros and Chios and finally reached Izmir. From there they sailed on to Lesbos, Troy and the Dardanelles. Godart-Faultrier writes on the monuments and palaces of Istanbul, but also deals with contemporary events. He meets Armenians as well as Catholics, tours the Bosporus and does not omit the mandatory description of the graphic details of the East (bazaars, cafés, dervishes, everyday snapshots etc.), always so dear to readers.

From the Ottoman capital, they reached Piraeus by ship and stayed at Athens. The ancient Greek and Roman monuments of the city attracted Godart's attention, as did the Byzantine antiquities which scholars were just then starting to record and study. On their return trip, they stopped over at Malta, which he describes. They then stayed at Naples and toured the adjacent area and its numerous ancient monuments. Godart also gives a thorough description of Rome and its antiquities and sights. The edition of his travel account (1857) was illustrated with lithographs, which also circulated in a separate album.

Written by Ioli Vingopoulou

• 

  Relief from the Museum of Kerameikos, Athens.

• 

  Decorative features from the Acropolis of Athens.

• 

  Byzantine relief discovered at the area of the Acropolis.

• 

  View of the Parthenon. In the foreground, reliefs of the Byzantine age, as classified by Kyriakos Pittakis.

• 

  Acropolis from the north.

• 

  The church of Hagioi Theodoroi at Klauthmonos Square, Athens.

• 

  The Beulé Gate, main entrance to the Acropolis of Athens.

• 

  Title page.

• 

  A, B, C, D: Details from the base of the Obelisk of Theodosius at the Byzantine Hippodrome, Istanbul. E, F, Column capital from Hagia Sophia, Istanbul. G, H, I. Part of ark and column capitals from the church of Saint Benedict, Istanbul. J. Column and column capital from Philoxenus Cistern, Istanbul.

• 

  View of Hagia Sophia from the east (from the apsis).

• 

  View of the first court, also known as court of the Janissaries, at Topkapi palace. On the left, the church of Saint Irene. In the background, the Gate of the Salutation or Middle Gate, leading to the Second Court of the palace.

• 

  Interior of Hagia Sophia, Istanbul: central and northern naves.

• 

  Plan of Hagia Sophia, Istanbul.

• 

  Mosaic of the sixth century at the basilica of Santi Cosma e Damiano, which was built on the site of Romulus's temple at the Forum of Rome.

• 

  Interior of the church of Santa Constanza in Rome, built by Constantine I in memory of his daughter, Constantia.

• 

  The tomb of Robert of Anjou or Robert the Wise, King of Naples (1277 – 1343) at the church of Santa Chiara, Naples. The tomb is the work of eminent Florentine artists Paccio and Giovanni Bertini.

• 

  Tomb of Charles III, son of Robert of Anjou at the church of Santa Chiara, Naples.

• 

  Tomb of Maria of Calabria, granddaughter of Robert of Anjou, at the church of Santa Chiara, Naples. Tomb of Louis of Anjou, great-grandson of Robert of Anjou, at the church of Santa Chiara, Naples.

• 

  Tomb of Queen Joanna I (1328-1382), granddaughter of Robert of Anjou, at the church of Santa Chiara, Naples.

• 

  Palazzo Donn'Anna, Naples.

• 

  View of the New Castle of Naples. The castle was built by Charles I of Anjou in 1282.

• 

  Tomb of princess Maria of Durazzo, granddaughter of Robert of Anjou, at the church of Santa Chiara, Naples.

• 

  The tomb of Agnès and Clemence, descendants of Robert of Anjou at the church of Santa Chiara, Naples.

• 

  Vrefokratoussa mosaic at the church of Santa Maria in Domnica, Rome (ninth century).

• 

  Mosaic from the basilica of Santa Maria di Trastevere in Rome (twelfth century).

• 

  Statue of Conradin, Duke of Swabia and King of Sicily (1252-1268) at the church of Santa Maria del Carmine, Naples. The statue was made by Bertel Thorvaldsen and erected by Maximilian of Bavaria in 1847.

• 

  Interior of the putative tomb of Vergil at Naples.

• 

  Map showing the author's route.

• 

  Part of an inscription, according to tradition the one which hung over the Holy Cross, today kept at Santa Croce Basilica, Rome.

• 

  Tomb of Guillaume Durand, bishop of Mende in the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome.

• 

  Porta Appia or Porta San Sebastiano at the walls of Marcus Aurelius, Rome.