Obelisk
There have been obelisks brought to various cities of the world from the old Egypt. The obelisk in Istanbul was first erected in 1547 BC for the sake of the Pharaoh Thutmose III in the city of Annu called Heliopolis by the Greek. Thutmose's victories are written on it in hieroglyph. The stone first attracted the attention of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine and asked the Egyptian to send the stone to him. The obelisk was first erected in Hippodrome with the order of the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius in 390s. On the base, there are embossments of Theodosius I, his sons and wife, Arkadios, Honorius and the Emperor Valentinian II. There are also some scenes from the Hippodrome and depictions displaying the erection of the obelisk.
Other
Things to Do
Istanbul Nights
As one of the most important metropolises of the world, Istanbul, along with its numerous features, has a vibrant nightlife.
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia, one of the most important constructions survived until today, is a monument built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in 537.
Blue Mosque
Sultanahmet Mosque has been built between 1609-1616. Adorned with more than 20,000 blue, green and white Iznik tiles and called “Blue...
Yerebatan & Binbirdirek Cistern
Binbirdirek Cistern was built by Constantine I the Emperor in the 4th century and Basilica Cistern was built by Justinian I, the Emperor of Byzantine...