Sultanahmet square is the old historic quarter of Istanbul and here you will find the most significant historic monuments of Istanbul. The district was named after Sultan Ahmet I, the Blue Mosque which builds at one end of the leafy square. Facing the Blue Mosque at the opposite end of the square is the magnificent Hagia Sophia.
Many of Istanbul's Byzantine and Ottoman monuments were built in the Old City and with many historical attractions in and around Sultanahmet Square, this is the ideal location to start any sightseeing tour of Istanbul.
A good place to start your visit in the quarter of the Sultanahmet which is at the Hippodrome which is Constantinople. The Hippodrome was the scene of the Byzantines enjoyed, much like the gladiator fights that the Romans loved. There is not much left here for this stadium, but the significant monuments here include the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine. There's also a pretty domed fountain commemorating the visit of Kaiser Wilhelm II to Istanbul in 1898. The Hippodrome is now a public park that runs the length of the Blue Mosque complex.
Hippodrome Egyptian Obelisk
Next to the Hippodrome are Istanbul's two most important monuments - the Blue Mosque with its six elegant minarets and the magnificent Hagia Sophia at each other opposite ends of the square.
When visiting Hagia Sophia, do not forget the nearby Cistern Basilica, one of the many hidden treasures of Istanbul. This giant underground cistern in Yerebatan Caddesi was built by Justinian in 532 to provide city in case of sieges. Close to the entrance of the Basilica Cistern is the Milion, a marble pillar from where all distances were measured during the Byzantine era.
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