Obelisk of Theodosius

About Obelisk of Theodosius

The Obelisk of Theodosius is the oldest standing monument in Istanbul, a piece of Egypt sitting in the middle of what was once the Hippodrome of Constantinople, in the Sultanahmet area of Fatih. The obelisk itself was carved from pink granite around 1500 BC for the pharaoh Thutmose III and originally stood at the Temple of Karnak in Luxor. The Roman emperor Theodosius I had it brought to the city and re-erected here in AD 390. What you see today is only the upper section of the original; the piece was cut down for transport, so the monument is shorter than it once was but still covered in the crisp Egyptian hieroglyphs that have survived remarkably well after roughly three and a half thousand years.

Just as interesting as the obelisk is the marble base it stands on, which was carved by Roman craftsmen and shows scenes from Theodosius and his court watching events in the Hippodrome, including chariot races and the ceremony of raising the obelisk itself. The Hippodrome was the sporting and social heart of Byzantine Constantinople, and the obelisk shares this long open square with two other ancient monuments: the twisted bronze Serpentine Column brought from Delphi, and the rougher stone Walled Obelisk further along. Standing between them gives you a quick sense of how the old racetrack was laid out.

The obelisk is outdoors, in a public square, and free to see at any time, with no ticket or gate. That makes it an easy stop rather than a destination in its own right, and most people take it in on the way between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, which are both a short walk away. Many guided walking tours of the old city pass through the Hippodrome and pause here to explain the three monuments. Give it ten or fifteen minutes to walk the length of the square and read the base, and go early or late in the day if you want photos without crowds.