All you ever wanted to know about Istanbul’s Hippodrome
While the Hippodrome was central to Byzantine social life, the Hippodrome continued to exist after the 1453 conquest because the Ottomans also saw the square as a perfect place to hold their own unique horse-related games. Thanks to a recent exhibition and accompanying book, people can see what the Hippodrome may have looked like in ancient times, along with its development in subsequent eras.
Anyone who has traipsed around Istanbul’s historic peninsula on the way to the Hagia Sophia or the Blue Mosque cannot have failed to come across the large, rectangular stretch of land that constitutes the Hippodrome.
For decades this space was nothing more than a dusty plain with a few decorative, almost nondescript pillars devoid of explanation. It was known as the Hippodrome where the ancient Romans and Byzantines used to have horse races (in modern times made famous by Charlton Heston in the movie “Ben Hur,” an adaptation from the book written by Lew Wallace, the United States’ ambassador to the Ottomans in the 19th century) and gladiatorial games of varying sorts. The square was also renowned for its political riots that nearly unseated Emperor Justinian, builder of the Hagia Sophia.
The square survived after the Ottoman conquest of 1453 because the new rulers saw the value of using the space for their own games, usually played on horseback. As a result, the square acquired the name Atmeydanı, or Horse Square. In addition, parades and festivities, such as those depicted in the miniatures of the 1582 Surname-i Murat III, were also held there. The space further played a part in political actions taken against later sultans because it was a convenient place for rebels to gather.
Now, thanks to the generosity of the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation, the Istanbul Research Institute and the Pera Museum, people can see what the Hippodrome may have looked like in its heyday and its progression through the various eras thereafter.
"Hippodrome/Atmeydanı: A Stage for Istanbul's History" is an exhibition that opened this week at the museum and will provide a start-to-finish pictorial tour of the space until April 18.
In tandem with the exhibition, a splendid, two-volume set of books has also been published in both Turkish and English under the same name as the exhibition. The set includes a number of articles related to the Hippodrome, as well as a catalog for the exhibition. The book certainly ranks among the most outstanding, comprehensive publications ever published for an exhibition and is one of those collections of material that provide all the information you ever wanted to know about the Hippodrome and likely much more that you have not even thought about.
In the foreword to the set, Suna, İnan and İpek Kıraç pay tribute to the Istanbul Research Institute whose research departments for the Ottoman and Republican periods facilitated the work. “We are happy to honor this very special and colorful square of Istanbul, which has hosted a variety of consequential incidents during the foundation of the Republic, with this exhibition that opens in 2010, the year Istanbul becomes the Culture Capital of Europe.”
The material has been collected under the general editorship of Brigitte Pitarakis, a researcher and writer on the Byzantine period. Because one can only see the masonry obelisk – whose origin is unknown – the Serpent Column and the Egyptian obelisk today, she says few can imagine the splendor and size of the original Hippodrome.
Throughout the Byzantine period, the Hippodrome was used for horse races between factions although this practice was discontinued under the Ottomans, who preferred to play cirit (a form of polo).
Volume one of the research deals particularly with the Byzantine period and reconstructions of what the Hippodrome might have resembled.
Pitarakis says much of the Hippodrome was still standing when the Ottomans conquered the city – apart from many metal statues and other ornamentation that had been melted down during the conquest of the city by 13th century Crusaders.
The books divides the Byzantine period into five sections: Imperial Power and the Arena of the New Rome, Entertainment at the Hippodrome; The Architecture and Archaeology of the Hippodrome; Ancient Myths and Urban Legends: the Statues of the Euripos; and Rediscovering the Hippodrome. The last section deals with the accounts of Western travelers between the 15th and 17th centuries.
Regarding the Istanbul Research Institute and Pera Museum, Pitarakis says, “[The institutes] seek to undertake exhibitions that highlight the major buildings, monuments and spaces of Istanbul that span the Byzantine and Ottoman periods and continue to make a significant contribution to the cultural richness of the Republic of Turkey.”
Meanwhile, part of the book’s visual material was provided by A. Tayfun Öner through 3-D representations of what the Hippodrome might have resembled in its former brilliance based on remains from the area found at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum and the garden of the Blue Mosque.
Öner worked with available archaeological reports, recent surveys, visual records, and the literary contributions of Byzantine writers and historians and travelers to ancient Istanbul.
His representations are so realistic that one could almost imagine being right in the middle of the Hippodrome – requiring only a few charioteers and a roaring crowd to whisk one back in time.
In fact, there are small statutes that represent some of the people that might have performed in the arena, as well as frescoes depicting charioteers in a church in Kiev.
If one thus fails to see the exhibition, there is always the two-volume set and with outstanding reproductions of colored miniatures and photographs.
The only problem is that each of the two is heavy and the thought of taking them around the exhibition is rather daunting. Nonetheless, the tomes are marvelous reference books that will stir up many memories of Istanbul’s historic peninsula.
(Hurriyet Daily News Friday, February 19, 2010)
Visiting Hours
Tuesday - Saturday 10.00 - 19.00
Sunday 12.00 - 18.00
Museum is closed on Mondays.
Special Days
Museum, with sugar and on the first day of Kurban bayram is closed on New Year's holiday
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34443 Tepebaşı - Beyoğlu - İstanbul
Tel. + 90 212 334 99 00
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Şunu daha büyük bir haritada görüntüle: Pera Museum (Pera Müzesi)
Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia – A magnificent host to history
In A.D. 532, Justinian the Great of the Eastern Roman Empire (Emperor Justinian I) took a decision to build a church that would make all the other religious monuments look pale before it.
Hence, after a period of nearly five years in 537 A.D., Justinian the Great, at the inaugural ceremony of the Hagia Sophia, announced with pride, saying, “ Oh Solomon, I have surpassed you,” while referring to the Solomon Temple, considered to be the first ever temple of Judaism, built in the 10th century BCE by the Son of David.
The Hagia Sophia is located at the heart of Sultanahmet district in the city of Istanbul. It can be easily recognized even from a far off distance by its unique pink-terracotta color. Both the Hagia Sophia as well as its Muslim counterpart (Sultanahmet) are regarded to be the two greatest historical monuments of the Eminonu district. Sultanahmet is also home to several famous historical masterpiece of historical importance including the famous Topkapi Palace and the Basilica Cistern.
Meaning ‘God’s sacred wisdom,’ Hagia Sophia is part of the three churches made by Justinian the Great who was known as an “emperor who never sleeps.” The Aya Irene, meaning the sacred peace of God, and the Aya Dinamos, meaning the sacred strength of God, look pale when compared to the Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya in Turkish). Although, the Aya Irene can still be found within the complex of the Hagia Sophia, there are no remains to be found of the Aya Dinamos.
In an exclusive interview given to sultanahmet1.com, a professional tour guide since two decades and an architect, Adnan Ozerler, says, “The Ayasofya was actually built on top of an Athenian temple.” Also a member of the Istanbul Tour Guides Union (TUREB), Ozerler goes on to add saying,”Back in the fourth and fifth centuries there were two temples in what later became Constantinople. These were later destroyed by dissidents.”
Ozerler revealed that the Hagia Sophia happens to be the first ever basilica to have a dome and the largest structure of the archaic age. It is believed to be cost nearly 20,000 pounds of gold. Being made of blocks of stone along with the layers of bricks used in-between; the monument has withstood the test of time. According to Ozerler, the wall of the Hagia Sophia happens to be the hardest type of wall, and the same pattern was followed while constructing the walls around Constantinople (now Istanbul) by Constantine the Great. After the construction of the walls around the city of Constantinople, the construction of the Hagia Sophia was a simple task for the architects and laborers.
The rosy terracotta color of the building that we see today was not the original color. The gray bricks were not painted with any color and were left uncovered. Ozerler adds, “We believe that there was fresco and a chemical coat to protect it from damage caused by rain.” The Hagia Sophia which we see today happens to be almost the same after the changes done to it by Faith Sultan Mehmet in 1453.
Meanwhile, some of the major changes made to the Hagia Sophia are as follows---
- The dome originally had a painting of Mary and Jesus. However, as the paintings of people are not allowed in Islam, so, a chapter taken from the Quran has been placed over the paintings. The chapter contains a reference to Mary and Jesus, both of whom are regarded with great respect in Islam.
- A couple of panels providing support to the building- these are nearly 1465 years old and have held the building stable for so much time.
- The four minarets of the building having names of their own. The first minaret, called the Fatih minaret was made by Fatih Sultan using bricks. The second minaret was made by Bayezid II, while the two other were made in the 16th century by Mimar Sinan on the orders of Selim II.
- There were several additions to this church to transform it into a mosque. Hence, although, Eastern Orthodox churches face Jerusalem, the Hagia Sophia was structured with its face towards Mecca. Other additions included the muaddhin mahver, the mihrab and mimbar, all of which face Mecca.
- Another change included a madrasa built in the Hagia Sophia by Fatih Sultan Mehmet during his reign.
So, we can see that the Hagia Sophia went through a huge transformation. The famous architect Ozerler explained during his interview that he saw a big chip of painting falling from the ceiling just above the mimbar, revealing St. John’s (The Baptist) painting. “Such is the greatness of sultans such as Fatih Sultan Mehmet -- he chose to cover the original paintings instead of scraping them off completely,” stated Ozerler, as he recalled the destruction of numerous other structures by the emperors just to show off their supremacy many centuries ago.
Emperor Justinian the Great purchased marble from Aegean and the Thrace regions for building the church. He also left his mark on the top of each pillar within the building of the Hagia Sophia.
Hagia Sophia- an exquisite monument of motivation---
No doubt, the Hagia Sophia has undergone a huge transformation since the time during which it was built. However, the fact is that it was and will always remain a structure of grandeur for a long time to come. It was envied by Muslim sultans and architects who felt a feeling of awe and inspiration on seeing it.
To cite an example, once Sultan Mehmet I, who was a devoted Muslim, asked Sevekdar Mehmet Aga, an architect, to build a huge mosque that would surpass the Hagia Sophia. “Although the architect balked the criteria specified, saying that it would be a disproportionate and unaesthetic structure, he would eventually comply with the sultan’s request,” quotes Ozerler.
The Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque) happens to be nearly 40 percent smaller than the Hagia Sophia, however, Sedefkar Mehmet Aga created the illusion to make the mosque appear bigger in comparison to the Hagia Sophia.
In Serbia, there is a replica of the Hagia Sophia. Known as the Sava Von Serbien Church, the construction of this building was completed in Belgrade during 1980s.
The Hagia Sophia happens to be a magnificent structure adorning the Bosphorus that has stood the test of time and will continue to be a source of inspiration for numerous mosques in the times to come.
