Discover Walks in Byzantine Istanbul

Constantinople Not Istanbul!  Byzantine Monuments Around Sultanahmet

This four hour walk is a starter to discover the essence of Constantinople before it was conquered by the Ottomans.

The Founding Legend:

“You will know… it is opposite the land of the blind”…so said the oracle in Delphi.

                                                                                          Hippodrome – (Remains Of) :

Hippodrome and the Obelisks

The arena that hosted riots, killings, weddings, celebrations…always colorful, busy and still the heart of social life.

It is now an invisible building but we’ll see the monuments decorating the Hippodrome including the 3500-year-old Egyptian Obelisk of Theodosius and the spiral bronze base of a three-headed serpent sculpture brought from Delphi in Greece.

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia

The church of the Divine Wisdom is eternally impressive and important. Its dome was a daring engineering feat in the 6th century and engineers still marvel at the building’s many innovations.

It is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture, rich with mosaics, marble pillars and coverings. After completion, Justinian is said to have exclaimed, “Solomon, I have outdone thee!”

Basilica Cistern:

This is the most romantic subterranean palace that has excited many travelers throughout history.

With its fantastic marble pillars topped with Byzantine Corinthian capitals and the herringbone patterned layers of red bricks that form the arches to support the top, it’s difficult to believe this huge underground water tank is nothing but a huge underground water tank.