Istanbul's archeological museum is one of the city's highlights, rivalling the British Museum, the National museum in Rome and the Bardo in Tunis. Though the collection covers from the earliest occupants to the Ottoman period, much of the exhibited material revolves around Hellenistic, Roman or Byzantine culture. Here are some samples:
Access: from Gulhane park. Open 9:30-16:30 (not Mondays)
HEAD FROM THE SERPENT COLUMN
FRIEZE FROM THE ALEXANDER SARCOPHAGUS
LION FROM THE BUCOLEON PALACE
THE CHAIN THAT PROTECTED THE GOLDEN HORN
FRIEZE OF A ROMAN CAVALRYMAN
SARCOPHAGUS
The first church constructed in Constantinople, the Church of Holy Peace was built in the 4th century by Constantine. It was burned during the Nike riots in 532 and then restored by Justinian. The currently visible church mostly dates from the 7th century rebuild after an earthquake. A great mosaic cross replaced an image of Christ in the Iconoclastic period and is an unusual survival. It has since been used as an armoury and a museum and is now a concert hall that is only open for events.
Access: Closed except for concerts. Exterior viewable in the grounds of the Topkapi palace.
This Byzantine round church survives only as ruins viewable through railings. After the Ottoman conquest, it was used as an arsenal and at the end of the 15th century a bolt of lightning detonated the church and scattered pieces of it over a wide area. Wartime excavation revealed wall paintings of the life of St Euphemia which have been preserved under cover.
Access: Viewable through railings from a public park.
Undoubtedly the most famous monument in Istanbul, the Aya Sofia, or Church of Holy Wisdom dates in its current form to the construction by Justinian on the remains of the Constantinian basilica. Indeed, a mosaic above a door shows both Constantine and Justinian presenting their constructions to Mary and Jesus.There are remarkably few Ottoman changes to the building other than the minarets and recently, early wall paintings were discovered beneath the later plaster. Work in 2008 was ongoing to reveal these. Aya Sofia is a magical place to visit and a must for any visitor to the city. To the rear of the church, visible over a wall are recent excavations of the earlier second, Theodosian, church. It was, for a millennium, the largest unsupported enclosed space in the world.
Access: Open daily except Monday 9:00 to 4:30. Paid entry.
AYA SOFIA FROM THE PARK
AYA SOFIA DETAIL
AYA SOFIA INTERIOR
CONSTANTINE AND JUSTINIAN
EARLY AYA SOFIA RUINS
The Yerebatan Saray is one of the wonders of Istanbul. It is probably Constantinian in origin, but the current structure dates from the 6th century work of Justinian. It is one of the largest cisterns in Istanbul and is by far the best preserved of the great ones. It continued to supply water to the Sultanahmet area until surprisingly recently. Its late construction date is evident from the reuse of columns. The Peacock column is a survivor of the Arch of Theodosius (see North area). Two Medusa heads, one on it's side and the other upside down, have come from an earlier building and were used to support columns.
Access: Open daily except Tuesday 9-5. Paid entry
CISTERN COLUMNS
GORGON HEAD PILAR
PEACOCK FEATHER COLUMN
Only fragments remain of this 5th century Theodosian palace survive; most notably one grand wall with an arcade of windows. Within the town itself, small fragments remain, mixed up with other Byzantine and early Ottoman architecture. Only wandering aimlessly will allow you to find them all.
Access: Close to the tourist centre, but down by the sea, the remaining parts are free to visit and open at all times.
PALACE WALLS
PALACE GATE
WINDOWED FACADE
INTERNAL FRAGMENT
Known as the Little Aya Sofia is a 6th century Justinian church. It was constructed as a small scale model for the next church he built, the great Aya Sofia and is on very much thye same plan. This church is in use as a mosque and can be visited at any time services are not on. A frieze detailing its construction in Greek runs around the entire interior. This is a beautiful place to visit and I can't recommend it higly enough.
Access: Open mosque hours, within the railway lines on Bardaksi Sokak.
ROOF
DETAIL
INTERIOR
Like the Basilica cistern this one, the Binbirdirek or Philoxenos cistern, consists of hundreds columns supporting a brick roof. This one, however, does not still contain water and is often used for events. It is no less impressive than the other, and was restored by Justinian in the 6th century, possibly having been constructed to supply the palace of Lausus. It is probably usually a paid entry site, though we caught it during an event and were allowed in free.
Access: Entrance is in the side of a building in Imran Oktem Cadessi.
GENERAL VIEW
CEILING DETAIL
Cemberlitas, or the burnt column is one of few surviving Constantinian constructions. This monumental column survives well considering its history. It was constructed in 330AD to celebrate the renaming of Byzantium to Constantinople and the founding of the new capital. It stood in the centre of the forum and had a collection of holy relics in its base and a statue of Constantine on the top. Having been damaged in an earthquake and then fire in the 18th century it was restored, but covered in scorch marks that earned it the nickname. It is covered with iron rings to support it during restoration work that was still ongoing in 2008.
Access: Easily visible on the main thoroughfare and free at all times.
The Great Palace of Constantine and used by many subsequent Emperors covered a large portion of what is now Sultanahmet. Few pieces survived above ground. However, work on an old prison to turn it into a high class hotel uncovered a large strech of the palace and due to the important nature of the site, it is currently being turned into an archaological park. I am not sure when the work is due to finish.
Access: As at 2008 visible only through hoarding as work is ongoing. Other fragments all over Sultanahmet.
EXCAVATIONS
WINDOWS
SIGN WITH DETAILS
An Ottoman park that surrounds Topkapi palace contains many late Roman and Byzantine sites, including an unknown church ruin, a cistern (2 in fact), other fragmentary ruins full of columns, overgrown and within a railing, and the great Goths' Column. Commemorating a victory over the Goths (according to an inscription), the column is often attributed to Claudius Gothicus and stands at the highest point of the park.
Access: Open and free access at all times.
RUINS OF A CHURCH
SMALL CISTERN
UNKNOWN RUINS
GOTHS' COLUMN
In classical times, probably the most famous building in Constantinople and certainly one of the two most famous circuses in the world (alongside the Circus Maximus). The hippodrome was originally constructed by Septimius Severus and later enlarged by Constantine. The shape of the actual arena is preserved in a modern park, with several of the monumental columns than ran along the spina still in position. Indeed, the column of Theodosius preserves images on the base of the Imperial family in the Kathisma, surrounded by the crowds and watching the races. Only tiny fragments of the seating survive in the park, but the the southern end, the great curve outer wall of the substructure (the Sphendone) gives the viewer an impression of the sheer scale of the original building. In 532 the Nike riots that almost destroyed the city began here.
Access: Free access at all time in the centre of Sultanahmet.
GENERAL VIEW
CAVEA REMAINS
SPHENDONE
THEODOSIUS COLUMN
THEODOSIUS COLUMN BASE
SERPENT COLUMN
COLUMN OF CONSTANTINE PORPHYROGENITUS
Actually part of the senate building of Constantinople, only a tiny fragment of the Megaura palace survives and as of 2008 was behind hoarding due to building work. What it will look like later who knows.
Access: Currently inaccessible
The milion stone was used to measure distances from the new Capital. It is officially the centre of the ancient city, much like the Milliarium Aureum of Rome. Only a tiny fragment remains of what was originally probably a great arch.
Access: Freely accessible at all times in Sultanahmet.
The second best museum in Istanbul is constructed in the remains of the Great Palace complex. Many of the mosaics in the museum are in the exact location they were found. It is not a large museum (and by mosaic standards nothing to the Bardo) but fascinating none the less and very well worth a visit. I can only recommend it enough by showing you pictures:
Access: Every day expect Tuesday 9:30 to 5. Behind the Blue Mosque on Torun Sokak
Built in the 5th century by the chamberlain of Theodosius II, little remains of the palace. Destroyed by fire in 475 AD, very little remains. The main rotonda is now the central focus of a public park and is freely accessible, though when I went in 2008 it was being used for a music festival. Other large wall fragments stand around the site.
Access: Freely open and visitable in public park
On a hill between the Aya Sofia and the walls of the Topkapi palace lies a restaurant. Seems strange here, but this restaurant may be the most atmospheric you ever eat in (though perhaps not the cheapest.) It is built within a late Roman cistern. It may not be the size of the two great cisterns of Sultanahmet but somehow, eating dinner amongst the columns makes it ever so special. I cannot recommend this enough, even if you've no interest in Rome!
Access: Only open to diners. Probably advisable to book. Soguk Cesme Sokak. Behind Aya Sofia
