Sultanahmet and some of its surroundings, Istanbul

One of my unfinished promises to myself and my blog is to finish documenting our trip to Istanbul in 2019, and today I invite you to join me on a tour of Sultanahmet Square and some of its surroundings. This square is the heart of old Istanbul. It is located on what is known as the historical peninsula. And there, you'll find some of the city's iconic monuments, such as the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.

_{View of the Blue Mosque in Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul}

All the photos I will share were taken during our trip in December 2019. Although they were not all taken on the same day, because we visited the area several times.

The square is built on the remains of an ancient Byzantine hippodrome.

_{Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul}

Constantinople Hippodrome

On one of the days we were at the square, we visited the remains of the old Hippodrome of Constantinople.

The first thing we saw was the Column of the Serpents belonging to ancient Greece. It was part of a sacrificial tripod at Delphi, which was moved to the Hippodrome of Constantinople on the orders of Constantine the Great. The bronze column ended with the face of three serpents, one of which is in one of the Istanbul museums.

The Obelisk of Theodosius can be seen in the background.

_{The remains of the Column of Serpents / Obelisk of Theodosius}

This obelisk was moved to the Hippodrome from ancient Egypt on the instructions of Theodosius the Great.

_{Obelisk of Theodosius}

Then there is the Walled Obelisk, also known as Constantine's Obelisk, which was once covered with bronze.Bold

_{Walled Obelisk}

Finally, in the area of the old hippodrome is the German Fountain, dating from the end of the 20th century.

_{German Fountain}

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia is the most visited monument in the city. It is simply breathtaking. This temple was once a Byzantine church, then a mosque during the Ottoman Empire, then for many years a museum. It was still a museum when we visited it in 2019. But in 2020, by order of the Turkish government, it was returned to the status of a mosque.

_{Hagia Sophia}

About our visit to Hagia Sophia, I wrote some time ago in A visit to Hagia Sophia.

_{Hagia Sophia}

The Blue Mosque

We initially wanted to visit it on the same day that we toured the old hippodrome, but the timing did not suit us. The Blue Mosque is open to the public depending on prayer times, so we visited it the day after we visited the Hippodrome.

_{The Blue Mosque}

This mosque is also known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque and dates back to the Ottoman Empire.

It is perhaps the most visited mosque after Hagia Sophia.

_{The Blue Mosque}

When we visited Istanbul, the Blue Mosque was undergoing major restoration both inside and outside.

_{The Blue Mosque}

The Basilica Cistern

Nearby Sultanahmet Square is an ancient cistern of the Byzantine Empire called the Basilica Cistern (Yeribatan Sarayi). It is the largest and oldest of the many cisterns that were built in the city during the Byzantine period and later during the Roman Empire. Cisterns in Istanbul ceased to be used after the foundation of the Ottoman Empire, as the Ottomans preferred running water.

_{The Basilica Cistern}

Although the place had no water when we visited it, it is worth a visit. The only problem is that it is narrow and there are usually a lot of people during the visit.

_{The Basilica Cistern}

Some of its great attractions are two columns with a representation of Medusa's head at their base. On one, the head points downwards. And on the other one, it is on its side. It is said that they were placed like this to counteract the effect of her gaze and to prevent the prophecy of turning those who look at her into stone from being fulfilled. The real reason probably is less fantastic, and maybe there was some technical justification for it.

_{Medusa head columns in The Basilica Cistern}

Eating in Sultanahmet

We went to a place I had read on the internet that was the place to go in Sultanahmet to eat among the locals. The place's name is Sultahnamet Koftecisi, and there you go to eat koftes which are Turkish-style meatballs. The food was simple but tasty. I don't remember the exact price, but it was one of the cheapest places we ate in Istanbul.

_{Sultahnamet Koftecisi}

Sultanahmet by night

The Sultanahmet square area is usually a bit deserted at night, but it is worth going to see the main monuments illuminated.

_{My son with the view of the Blue Mosque, Sultahnamet}

The magnificent Hagia Sophia is imposing both day and night.

_{Hagia Sophia}

And the Blue Mosque, on the opposite side of the square.

_{The Blue Mosque, Sultahnamet}

These were some of the things we did during our visit to Sultanahmet Square and some of the surroundings. And this is the place to visit if you only have one day to spend in Istanbul.

Thank you for reading!

_{All images and writing are my own unless otherwise stated.}

© CoquiCoin

July 24, 2022