SULTANAHMET SQUARE

Sultanahmet Square, one of the first historical places that come to mind when it comes to Istanbul, has many historical places to see. In the square, which was also used as a hippodrome during the Roman period, places such as the Obelisk, Blue Mosque, Serpent Column, Hagia Sophia Museum are within a few steps walking distance. The Obelisk in Sultanahmet Square is one of the obelisks erected at the entrance of the Temple of Amon in Karnak by Thutmosis III in the ancient Egyptian civilization in the 15th century BC. 

 

These monuments were built as single, large blocks to commemorate a person or event in honor of the sun god during the Ancient Egyptian period. The monuments erected on both sides of the temple entrances were also used to calculate the time according to the sun. After Egypt became a Roman province, some Roman emperors wanted to decorate their capitals with these majestic monuments. Roman Emperor Constantine wanted to bring one of the two obelisks from the Temple of Amon in Karnak to Rome and the other to Istanbul. The column we know today as Çemberlitaş was also brought from Rome by Emperor Constantine and erected in the forum bearing his name. The obelisk was brought to Istanbul and erected in the hippodrome in 390 by Emperor Theodosius I.

 

The hippodrome where the obelisk is located has long been the scene of horse races and entertainment for the public. Horse-drawn carriages used to circle around the Obelisk, the Serpent Column and the Knitted Column, struggling to win the race. The hippodrome, which lost its importance with the weakening of the Byzantine Empire, was looted like other parts of the city during the Latin invasion, and later it was destroyed over time and turned into ruins. After the conquest of Istanbul, the building and other artifacts have survived to the present day as a symbol of the city.

 

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