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Monuments
The ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races and
the center of Byzantine civic life, stood in the open space
in front of the Blue Mosque, an area now called Sultanahmet.
Of the monuments which once decorated it, only three remain:
the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column
and the Column of Constantine. Remains from the curved-end
section of the Hippodrome's wall can be seen on the southwest
side of these three monuments. Today, the square forms the
center of Эstanbul's historical, cultural and tourism activities.
You should take particular note of the surrounding wooden
houses, particularly the l8th century ones on Sogukзesme
Street. Delightfully restored, they have new life as small
hotels and one houses a fascinating library of books on
Эstanbul.
The Ahmet III Fountain, built in 1729, stands at the entrance
to Topkapi Palace. Deep overhanging eaves shade the water
spouts where the parched could stop for a cup of refreshing
water. This highly ornate, free-standing fountain is a superb
example of the late Ottoman style.
Mahmut II built the Beyazit Tower (85 meters high) in 1828
as a fire tower. Today it stands within the grounds of Эstanbul
University.
The Bozdogan-Valens Aqueduct, built in 368 A.D., supplied
the Byzantine and later the Ottoman palaces with water.
Today part of the remaining 900 meters of double-tiered
arches straddle the major highway that runs through the
old part of town.
The Эstanbul land walls, once an impenetrable fortification,
stretch seven kilometers from the Sea of Marmara to the
Golden Horn. Restored recently, and many times previously,
these walls date from the fifth century and the reign of
Emperor Theodosius II. UNESCO has declared the land walls
and the area which they enclose to be one of the cultural
heritages of the world.
The Galata Tower, a Genoese construction of 1348, rises
62 meters high over the Golden Horn. From the top, you see
a marvelous panorama of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus.
In the evening, tourists enjoy its popular restaurant, nightclub
and bar.
 Rumeli
Hisari, or the European Fortress, was built by Mehmet the
Conqueror in 1452 prior to his capture of Эstanbul. Completed
in only four months, it is one of the most beautiful works
of military architecture in the world. (Open every day except
Mondays.)
Known as Leander's Tower, Kiz Kulesi is one of the romantic
symbols of Эstanbul. First constructed in the l2th century
on a tiny island at the entrance to Эstanbul's harbor, the
present building dates from the l8th century.
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