Istanbul Guide

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going badly in the empire, a surly crowd gathering here could signal the start of a dis turbance, then a riot, then a revolution. In 1826 the slaughter of the corrupt janissary corps (the sultan’s personal bodyguards) was carried out here by the reformer Sultan Mahmut II. In 1909 there were riots here that caused the downfall of Abdül Hamit II. Despite the ever-present threat of the Hippodrome being the scene of their down fall, emperors and sultans sought to outdo one another in beautifying it, and adorned the centre with statues from the far reaches of the empire. Unfortunately, many price less statues carved by ancient masters have disappeared from their original homes here. Chief among those responsible for such thefts were the soldiers of the Fourth Crusade, who invaded Constantinople, a Christian ally city, in 1204. Near the northern end of the Hippo drome, the little gazebo with beautiful stonework is known as Kaiser Wilhelm’s Fountain (Map p240; Atmeydan ı Caddesi; j Sul tanahmet) . The German emperor paid a state visit to Sultan Abdül Hamit II in 1898 and presented this fountain to the sultan and his people as a token of friendship in 1901. The monograms on the dome’s interior feature Abdül Hamit’s tu ğ ra (calligraphic signature) and the first letter of Wilhelm’s name, representing their political union. The immaculately preserved pink granite Obelisk of Theodosius (Map p240; Atmeydan ı Caddesi; j Sultanahmet) in the centre was carved in Egypt during the reign of Thut mose III (r 1549–1503 BC) and erected in the Amon-Re temple at Karnak. Theodosius the Great (r 379–95) had it brought from Egypt to Constantinople in AD 390. On the mar ble podium below the obelisk, look for the carvings of Theodosius, his wife, his sons, state officials and bodyguards watching the chariot-race action from the kathisma (im perial box). South of the obelisk is a strange column coming up out of a hole in the ground. Known as the Spiral Column (Map p240; Atmeydan ı Caddesi; j Sultanahmet) , it was once much taller and was topped by three serpents’ heads. Originally cast to com memorate a victory of the Hellenic confed eration over the Persians in the battle of Plataea, it stood in front of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi (Greece) from 478 BC until Constantine the Great had it brought to his new capital city around AD 330. Though badly damaged in Byzantine times, the ser SULTANAHMET & AROUND SIGHTS

pents’ heads survived until the early 18th century. Now all that remains of them is one upper jaw, which was discovered in a basement of Aya Sofya and is housed in the İ stanbul Archaeology Museums (p74). After sacking Aya Sofya in 1204, the soldiers of the Fourth Crusade tore all the plates from the Rough-Stone Obelisk (Map p240 ; Atmeydan ı Caddesi; j Sultanahmet) , at the Hippodrome’s southern end, in the mistaken belief that they were solid gold (in fact, they were gold-covered bronze). The Crusaders also stole the famous Trium phal Quadriga (team of four horses cast in bronze) and placed it atop the main door of Venice’s Basilica di San Marco; replicas are now located there, as the originals were moved into the basilica for safekeeping. MUSEUM Map p240 ( % 0212-518 1205; http://ayasofya muzesi.gov.tr/en/museum-great-palace-mosaics; Torun Sokak; admission ₺ 15; h 9am-7pm mid-Apr– Sep, to 5pm Oct–mid-Apr, last entry 30min before closing; j Sultanahmet) When archaeologists from the University of Ankara and Scotland’s University of St Andrews excavated around the nearby Arasta Bazaar in the 1930s and 1950s, they uncovered a stunning mosaic pavement featuring hunting and mytho logical scenes. Dating from early Byzantine times, it was restored between 1983 and 1997 and is now preserved in this museum. Thought to have been added by Justin ian to the Great Palace of Byzantium, the pavement is estimated to have measured from 3500 to 4000 sq metres in its original form. The 250 sq metres preserved here is the largest discovered remnant – the rest has been either destroyed or remains bur ied underneath the Blue Mosque and sur rounding shops and hotels. The pavement is filled with bucolic im agery and has a gorgeous ribbon border with heart-shaped leaves. In the last room is one of the most colourful and dramatic pictures, that of two men in leggings car rying spears and holding off a raging tiger. The museum has informative panels documenting the floor’s history, rescue and renovation. AYA SOFYA TOMBS TOMBS Map p240 (Aya Sofya Müzesi Padi ş ah Türbeleri; % 0212-522 1750; http://ayasofyamuzesi.gov.tr/ en; Bab ı hümayun Caddesi; h 9am-5pm; j Sul tanahmet) F Part of the Aya Sofya com MUSEUM OF GREAT PALACE MOSAICS