Sultanahmet Square (The Best and the Place You Never Want to Miss in 2024)
Sultanahmet Square locates in the heart of Istanbul, the central district of Fatih city. This place got its name in honor of one of the sights on it, the Blue Mosque. Part of the Fatih district is close to Sultanahmet, the Bosphorus, the Marmara Sea coast, and the Golden Horn.
This square consists of two parts, the area between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome Square, where horse races and chariot races were held in the Byzantine period.
What to See in Sultanahmet Square?
Check out the must-sees in Sultanahmet Square:
Hagia Sophia
One of Turkey’s most important cultural, historical, and religious monuments is an old Orthodox cathedral and later a mosque. Now it is entirely Hagia Sophia Mosque.
Blue Mosque
The building with six minarets got this name because of the color of the interior painting on the vaults and walls of the temple. The Blue Mosque is considered one of the main tourist attractions of Istanbul.
Hippodrome
In the old part of Sultanahmet Square, whose history dates back to the Byzantine period, people here hold horse riding competitions, play wedding banquets, and riot. There are German Fountain, obelisks, and snake columns in the Hippodrome Square.
Snake Column
It was brought from the temple of Apollo in Delphi by Emperor Constantine the Great in 326, who ordered a fountain to be built from it.
Kaiser Wilhelm Fountain
It is a fountain built by the Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II in 1900 as a gift to the Prussian Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm. This building symbolized the alliance between Germany and the Ottoman Empire.
Roksolana Baths – Hurrem Baths
Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque are structures dedicated to Haseki Alexandra Anastasia Lisowska or Roksolana, the beloved wife of Sultan Suleyman.
Basilica Cistern
The Basilica Cistern is an old underground reservoir from the Byzantine period opposite Hagia Sophia.
This square is the most popular tourist destination. It hosts many events in different seasons. There is the Tulip Festival in April, the Puppet Festival in mid-May, and many other secular and religious events. The way to the great Istanbul marathon passes through the square. Free concerts are held from time to time in the yard near Hagia Sophia.
How to Get to Sultanahmet Square?
Since this is the heart of the city, there are suitable routes here, and if you choose a hotel in this area, it will be within walking distance of the square. You can come here by tram, metro, bus, taxi or vehicle.
What’s the best way to see Sultanahmet Square?
Sultanahmet Square is one of the most popular tourist areas in Istanbul and has many different routes for visitors. You can find the opportunity to visit Sultanahmet Square in the best way by taking a look at the following suggestions:
· Walking: Sultanahmet Square is where you can reach Istanbul’s historical and touristic places on foot. While walking around the square, you can also explore the historical buildings and monuments.
· Cycling: Cycling around Sultanahmet Square allows you to discover Istanbul’s historical and touristic places more quickly and easily. Bicycle rental services are available, and you can cycle around Sultanahmet Square by using these services.
· Traveling with a touring workshop: You can visit Sultanahmet Square and the surrounding historical places by taking advantage of the tour workshop services that will help you better understand the history and culture of Istanbul. These tours describe Istanbul’s historical sites and monuments in more detail and offer visitors a better Istanbul experience.
· Traveling by taxi or bus: It is also possible to reach Sultanahmet Square by taxi or bus. Using these options, you can visit the square and the historical places around it.
