Information
Landmark: Sultanahmet SquareCity: Istanbul
Country: Turkey
Continent: Asia
Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul, Turkey, Asia
Overview
Sultanahmet Square (Turkish: Sultanahmet Meydanı) sits at the heart of Istanbul’s historic peninsula, where the air smells faintly of roasted chestnuts and centuries of history unfold in every direction.It’s the heart of Istanbul, where you can wander from the shadow of the Hagia Sophia to the domes of the Blue Mosque, then slip underground to the cool, echoing Basilica Cistern before ending at the gates of Topkapi Palace.In Sultanahmet Square, centuries-old mosques rise beside Roman columns, weaving together history, faith, and culture into one vibrant place you shouldn't miss in Istanbul.For centuries, Sultanahmet Square has drawn crowds, watching empires rise and crumble-from the Roman and Byzantine worlds to the Ottomans and today’s Republic of Turkey, where the stone still warms in the afternoon sun.Long ago, this square belonged to the grand Hippodrome-an ancient racetrack of the Byzantine era-where crowds roared at chariot races, cheered public ceremonies, and gathered for all kinds of events.Roman and Byzantine Period: The Hippodrome rose like a stone giant, one of the vastest chariot tracks in the Roman Empire, where wheels thundered over packed sand.If you wander through Sultanahmet Square today, you can still spot traces of the old Hippodrome-like the weathered Obelisk of Theodosius, the twisting Serpentine Column, and the solid Walled Obelisk-each set here during the Byzantine Empire.Ottoman Period: After the Ottomans seized Constantinople in 1453, the square grew into the heart of their city, crowned by landmarks like the Blue Mosque and the ornate Topkapi Palace.Throughout the Ottoman Empire, the square stayed at the heart of Istanbul’s political, social, and religious life, where voices echoed off stone walls and markets buzzed with news.Today, Sultanahmet Square buzzes with life as part of Istanbul’s Historic Areas, proudly listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.It’s still one of the city’s busiest tourist spots, drawing millions each year to its bustling streets and bright shopfronts.Sultanahmet Square holds some of Istanbul’s most unforgettable sights, from towering minarets to the worn stones of ancient monuments.Here’s your guide to the square’s can’t-miss spots-start with number one, where the air smells faintly of fresh bread.In 537 AD, Emperor Justinian I had Hagia Sophia built as a grand church for the Byzantine Empire, its vast dome gleaming in the sunlight; after the Ottomans seized Constantinople in 1453, they transformed it into a mosque.It opened as a museum in 1935, then in 2020, the call to prayer returned as it became a mosque again.The Hagia Sophia rises with a massive dome that seems to float above the city, its walls glittering with gold mosaics and its sheer size leaving you breathless.Significance: It stands as a powerful emblem of religious and architectural heritage, where a cross-shaped nave meets slender, carved minarets.The building’s history shows in its vivid mosaics of Christ and the Virgin Mary, set beside flowing lines of Islamic calligraphy.Number two.The Blue Mosque, also called the Sultanahmet Mosque, rose between 1609 and 1616 under Sultan Ahmet I’s rule, its six slender minarets still one of Istanbul’s most famous sights.The name comes from the vivid blue tiles lining its walls, each one catching the light like polished glass.Architecture: The mosque’s grand dome rises above a ring of smaller semi-domes, filling the wide interior with light and a sense of open air.The mosque is alive with daily prayers, so visitors should wear modest clothing, like long sleeves or loose trousers.Significance: The Blue Mosque stands as a hallmark of Ottoman design, admired for its graceful lines and the perfect harmony between its domes and slender minarets.It also features a wide, sunlit courtyard and six towering minarets-an unusual sight for a mosque from this era.Number three.The Hippodrome of Constantinople, known today as At Meydanı, once roared with the thunder of chariot wheels and the cheers of crowds, serving as both a grand racing arena and a bustling meeting place in the Byzantine era.Most of the original structure is gone now, but in the Byzantine era, the Hippodrome stood at the heart of the city, echoing with the roar of crowds during races, ceremonies, and public gatherings.You can still spot traces of the old Hippodrome in Sultanahmet Square, like the Obelisk of Theodosius-a smooth granite pillar carved in Egypt and hauled to Constantinople by Emperor Theodosius I in 390 AD.It remains one of the most treasured relics from the Byzantine era, its worn edges still catching the light.The Serpentine Column, a twisting bronze pillar of three coiled serpents, first rose in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi in the 5th century BC, gleaming in the sun, before Emperor Constantine had it moved to Constantinople.The Walled Obelisk, built from sturdy masonry instead of solid stone, was raised in the 10th century by Emperor Constantine VII to celebrate his military triumphs.Number four.For more than four centuries, Topkapi Palace served as the Ottoman sultans’ home and the bustling heart of their empire, where courtyards echoed with the sound of guards’ boots on stone.Built in 1459, it was home to the royal family and the beating heart of Ottoman rule, its courtyards echoing with the steps of guards for centuries until the 1800s.The palace holds a wealth of Ottoman history, from shimmering imperial robes and delicate blue-and-white ceramics to glittering jewels and centuries-old manuscripts.Among the highlights is the Harem, the sultan’s secluded quarters where his family lived behind carved wooden screens.Architecture: The Topkapi Palace spreads across courtyards, shaded gardens, and airy pavilions, giving you a glimpse of the Ottoman Empire’s opulence-silk rugs underfoot, sunlight glinting off tiled walls.Number five stood out, scratched into the margin in dark pencil.The Basilica Cistern, or Yerebatan Sarnıcı, was built around 532 AD during the Byzantine era and stands as one of the largest underground water reservoirs, its stone columns rising from the cool, still water below.Emperor Justinian I built it to supply fresh water to the Great Palace of Constantinople, where marble floors gleamed in the sun.The cistern’s vast interior rises on 336 stone columns, each standing in the cool, dim space beneath 9 meters-about 30 feet-of water.Dim light spills across pools of still water while soft strains of classical music echo through the room, giving the place a quietly mystical feel.Two columns in the cistern rest on carved Medusa heads, their stone faces cool and damp, believed to have been taken from older ruins and lending the place an eerie, ancient allure.Sultanahmet Square hums with life, where locals chat over steaming tea and tourists snap photos beneath the shadow of the Blue Mosque.Here’s what to expect: Because the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia are still active places of worship, the square takes on a quiet, reverent air-especially when the call to prayer drifts across the cobblestones.The call to prayer drifts across the square, its echoes mingling with the scent of incense and deepening the sense of reverence.Cultural and Tourist Hub: The square draws visitors eager to wander Istanbul’s winding streets and uncover its layered history.Crowds of visitors gather to admire the sweeping arches and intricate carvings, snap photos, and join the lively guided tours.You’ll spot street vendors and playful Turkish ice cream sellers in the square, their bells jingling as they serve, adding to the buzz that draws crowds.Sultanahmet Square comes alive with public events, cultural festivals, and lively celebrations, especially on national holidays when music drifts through the crowd and flags ripple in the breeze.The square glowed under the streetlamp, its wet bricks slick from the evening rain.
