Abstract: The article is devoted to the analysis of artistic functions of geographical and mythopoetical particularities related to the image of Byzantium in Gustave Flaubert's and Nikolay Gumilev's writings. The research focuses on the city as a painting theme and aesthetic reflection. Being a city with rich and dramatic history and complicated 'cultural genealogy', Canstontinople has been attracting attention of many Russian and Western European writers. Gustave Flaubert and Nikolay Gumilev created the image of Constinople in theiw writings for various artistic purposes. In her research Romanova analyses the following literary works: Flaubert's philosophical drama 'The Temptation of Saint Anthony' and Gumilev's poem 'Consantinople' and his tragedy 'Poisoned Tunic'. The research methodology involves comparative analysis of Gumilev's and Flaubert's works as well as mythopoetical, biographical and psychological methods of analysis. Based on the research the author concludes that complexity of the image of Byzantium determines its attribution to many philosophical and aesthetical concepts. In his play Flaubert presented Byzantium where the action took place as a concentrated phenomenal world rejected by the main hero. In Gumilev's writings Byzantium is a contradictory image that presents Gumilev's thoughts on the question whether it is possible to overcome the sinful human nature. 

Keywords: austerity, magnetism, Dionysian religious cult, mythopoetics, urban scenery, background, Constantinople, introspection, aestheticization, eternity