Let’s go back older times in Istanbul and take a look at Constantinople, even older than the Ottoman. Let’s get more detailed information about Hagia Sophia and Hippodrome. Hagia Sophia is one of the most important structures of the Byzantine period and it is still an important building.
Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya)
The church was built during the reign of Emperor Theodosius and burned down in the fire of Nika Revolt in 532 A.D. during the reign of Justinian. The same year Justinian ordered to build a new basilica, the one we can see today, and only five years later, 537 AD, it was opened to the public. The architects of this new basilica were Isidorus from Miletus (Söke) and Anthemious from Tralles (Aydın). The basilica was covered with the magnificient dome 55.60 m high and 30.80 – 31.88 m in diameter, with 40 frame timbers and 107 pillars.
In 1453, with the conquest of Istanbul, Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror converted the church into a mosque. To strengthen the building architect Sinan did significant work in this spectacular building in the Turkish period. During the reign of Sultan Abdulmecid (1839 – 1861) Fossati brothers made various restorations in the building. Hagia Sophia Museum, the legacy of both Christian and Muslim culture, was opened for visits according to the order of Ataturk and decision of the Turkish Assembly of Ministers on the 1st of February, 1935.
The building was included in the list of UNESCO List of World Heritage. Today it is Turkey’s most popular tourist site, attracting more than 3.7 million visitors a year. It is now a mosque.
Hippodrome
Hippodrome, with its name in the Byzantine period, is between the Sultanahmet Mosque and Hagia Sophia. It is known as Sultanahmet Square today.
The ancient Hippodrome was begun by Septimius Severus in AD 203 and completed by Constantine the Great in AD 330. This was the heart of Constantinople’s political and sporting life, and the scene of games and riots through 500 years of Ottomanhistory as well
Today, there isn’t much of the Hippodrome left to see, except for a small section of the gallery walls on the southern side, but the Sultanahmet Square (park), which now stands on the site is home to a variety of monuments.
On the northwest side is a fountain, presented to the Ottoman sultan by the German Emperor William II in 1898. Then, heading southwest are three ancient monuments: a 20-meter high Egyptian obelisk (from Heliopolis); the Serpent Column brought here from Delphi by Constantine; and a stone obelisk that originally was clad in gold-covered bronze plating until they were stolen by the soldiers of the 4th Crusade in 1204.
If you are planning a trip to Turkey, you can find a tour guide at TripOrbis. For a safe and enjoyable trip your tour guide is here!
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