Why visit / Interesting facts:
- Amazing view on Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque
- Beautiful park
Time required: 30 minutes
Public transport:
- Tram Line T1: Sultanahmet stop
Address: Sultanahmet Square
Photos: (see more photos)
Photo: Ivan Mlinaric
Things you need to know:
- Sultanahmet Park is a lovely park lying between Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia with a large fountain in the middle
- The park is an excellent place for picnic and relaxation. It provides a spectacular view of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, especially at night when they are lit up
- Milion, a tall marble column in the northern corner of the park, was 'point zero' in the Byzantine Empire. All distances were measured from here
- Hippodrome, built in the 3rd c. AD, was a Byzantine chariot racing stadium with a capacity of 100,000 people. Today it is a park-like square next to Sultanahmet Park
- Hippodrome or Sultan Ahmet Square features four monuments: (1) Serpent Column, (2) Obelisk of Thutmose III or Egyptian Obelisk, (3) Walled Obelisk, and (4) German Fountain
- Serpent Column was moved here from the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. Originally it was cast to commemorate the victory of the Greeks over the Persians during the 5th c. BC Persian Wars
- The Egyptian Obelisk was brought here from the Temple of Karnak in Luxor, Egypt to adorn the stadium
- The Walled Obelisk, built in 10th century, used to be covered with bronze. Troops of the Fourth Crusade removed the metal to make coins
- The German Fountain is a gift to Sultan Abdul Hamid from Kaiser Wilhelm II after his visit to Istanbul in 1898
What to do there:
- Have a rest on a bench near the beautiful fountain and just admire the two imposing Istanbul landmarks
- Walking along the Blue Mosque take a look at the Egyptian Obelisk, the Column of Constantine and the Serpentine Column
