Sultanahmet Square

Istanbul’s Byzantine Hippodrome was the center of Constantinople’s political and sporting life during the Roman and Byzantine empires. Constructed in the early 3rd century, it was the site of chariot races and public events.

After the Ottoman conquest, the Hippodrome’s original function ceased, and it was transformed into a city park called At Meydanı (Horse Square).

Today, the area is accessible by buses that bring tourists to Istanbul’s main attractions.

The Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı) lies beneath a park at the northern end of the Hippodrome. Above it stands a stone tower that was part of the city’s aqueduct system.

Nearby is the Milion, the remaining section of a triumphal arch marking the zero milestone on the Mese road connecting Constantinople and Rome.

Across from the stone tower is Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia), with Topkapı Palace just behind it. The Istanbul Archaeological Museums are located nearby, bordering Gülhane Park.

During a visit in 1901, German Emperor Wilhelm II donated the elaborate German Fountain at the northwestern end of the Hippodrome as a gift to the sultan and the people.

Opposite the Hippodrome are the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art.

Monuments in the Hippodrome include the ancient Egyptian Obelisk of Theodosius, brought to Constantinople by Emperor Theodosius I in 388 AD.

The spiral bronze base of the Serpent Column, originally from Delphi, Greece, is displayed here; the serpent heads are housed in the Istanbul Archaeological Museums.

The so-called `Walled Obelisk,` dating to the 10th century, stands in the southwestern part of the Hippodrome.

To the west is the Binbirdirek Cistern (`1001 Columns Cistern’), which is worth visiting.

https://turkeytravelplanner.com/go/Istanbul/Sights/Sultanahmet/Hippodrome.html

Address: Binbirdirek, Sultan Ahmet Parkı No:2, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye

Photo: Erik Cleves Kristensen