The Hippodrome of Constantinople is today Sultanahmet Square, the long garden between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. For a thousand years it was the heart of the city: a chariot-racing stadium for tens of thousands of spectators, where the emperor showed himself to the people and where the people, now and then, rose up against the emperor.
It's free, it never closes, and almost everyone walks across it without a second glance. On my tours of Istanbul it's one of the first stops, because in half an hour three monuments tell the story of Rome, Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire.
A little history
Septimius Severus began it around AD 200, and Constantine enlarged it when he made the city his capital in 330. It was about 450 metres long and U-shaped, with its curved end, the sphendone, facing the Sea of Marmara. Along the central barrier, the spina, stood monuments brought from every corner of the empire.
The Blues and the Greens were far more than rival supporters: they were political factions, guilds and street gangs all at once. In 532 they joined forces in the Nika riots against Justinian, set half the city on fire and very nearly overthrew him; the crackdown ended with thousands dead inside the Hippodrome itself. The Hagia Sophia we see today was built on the ruins left by that revolt. The Ottomans used the square for festivals and celebrations, and little by little its marble seating was carried off to other buildings.
What to see in the Hippodrome
The Obelisk of Theodosius
An Egyptian obelisk of pink Aswan granite, carved for Thutmose III at Karnak around 1450 BC. Theodosius I brought it here in 390 and set it on a marble base whose reliefs show the emperor in the imperial box presiding over the races, and even the machinery used to raise the obelisk. It's the oldest monument in Istanbul and remarkably well preserved.
The Serpent Column
Three intertwined bronze serpents that once held up a golden tripod at the sanctuary of Delphi, cast from the weapons of the Persians defeated at Plataea in 479 BC. Constantine brought it from Greece. The heads were lost centuries ago; a fragment of one of them is kept in the Istanbul Archaeology Museums.
The Walled Obelisk
Also known as the Obelisk of Constantine, it's the rough stone obelisk at the southern end. It was once clad in gilded bronze plates, which the Crusaders stripped off in 1204 to melt down. The Janissaries used to climb it to show off their agility.
The German Fountain
At the northern end stands a domed pavilion lined with golden mosaics, a gift from Kaiser Wilhelm II to Sultan Abdülhamid II after the Kaiser's visit in 1898. It was made in Germany and assembled here piece by piece.
What lies underground
Beneath the southern end, the vaults that supported the sphendone still survive, and you can see them today from the street below. Two minutes' walk away, the Great Palace Mosaic Museum is well worth a visit.
Tips for your visit
Half an hour is enough. It's a flat, shady stroll that suits everyone, with benches and fountains along the way.
- First thing in the morning the square is almost empty, and the light on the Blue Mosque is the best of the day.
- At night the monuments are lit up and the square is safe; in April, tulips fill the flowerbeds.
- Watch out for touts selling tickets and pushy shoe-shiners: smile and keep walking.
Tickets and prices
It's an open public square and free to enter. On my tours this is where I explain the three monuments and show you on a map how the ancient city was laid out.
How to get there
The Sultanahmet tram stop is right at the northern corner of the square. The Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sophia are two minutes away on foot, and Topkapı Palace about five.
How I include it on my tours
It's a stop on the classic Istanbul day tour and on every programme that begins in Sultanahmet, such as Essential Istanbul. Fifteen minutes here, map in hand, saves a lot of explaining later in the day.
If you'd like to see Istanbul at a relaxed pace, plan your tailor-made trip with me.