byzantine.istanbul.part.2

After Hagia Sophia, I walked across the road to check out the Basilica Cistern. It is called ‘Yerebatan Sarayı’ in Turkish and is also known as sunken palace. It was built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. Another great architecture in Byzantine design.

Although it is built underground, but the roof is very geometric and supported by elegant columns

How beautiful a water reservoir could be, there are even fishes swimming in the water

The upside down column -Medusa Column of which the origin of the two heads is unknown, though it is thought that the heads were brought to the cistern after being removed from a building of the late Roman period.

Then across the road is the Hippodrome of Constantinople. In Byzantine period, this used to be a circus that was popular as the sporting and social centre. Horse racing or chariot racing used to take place here. But today, there are only a few ruins remain in the center....

Top right: Spiral column

Top left: Walled Obelisk The stone core of this monument also survives
Bottom left: Obelisk of Thutmose III

Bottom left: The base of the Obelisk of Thutmosis III showing Emperor Theodosius as he offers a laurel wreath to the victor from the Kathisma at the Hippodrome.

I am not a history person and the way for me to learn about history of a place is by visiting the place get the impression and then I will start dig into the history which then becomes interesting to me. Byzantine empire is something rather new to me but by visiting these places I am completely amazed by their creations that left to proof the past glory...