This was kilometre zero during the Byzantine Empire: the starting point of the Via Egnatia, the great road linking Constantinople with the Adriatic coast, and the reference point for measuring distances to the empire's cities. A fragment of the now-vanished arched and domed 4th-century structure marks the important spot.

Transportation

  • tram: Sultanahmet

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Sultanahmet attractions

1. Basilica Cistern

0.03 MILES

This subterranean structure was commissioned by Emperor Justinian and built in 532. The largest surviving Byzantine cistern in İstanbul, it was…

2. Kaiser Wilhelm's Fountain

0.08 MILES

Near the northern end of the Hippodrome, this little gazebo with beautiful stonework was presented to the sultan and his people as a token of friendship…

3. Tomb of Sultan Ahmet I

0.1 MILES

The türbe (tomb) of Sultan Ahmet I, the Blue Mosque’s great patron, is on the north side of the mosque facing Sultanahmet Park. Ahmet, who had ascended to…

4. Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

0.1 MILES

Right in the heart of İstanbul’s historic center, this sacred Byzantine building remains an important symbol of power.

5. Aya Sofya Tombs

0.13 MILES

Part of the Aya Sofya complex but entered via Babıhümayun Caddesi, these tombs are the final resting places of five 16th- and 17th-century sultans –…

6. Sultanahmet Archaeological Park

0.13 MILES

Excavations here have uncovered parts of the Great Palace of Byzantium. The park has been closed for restoration for almost a decade, with no signs of it…

7. Caferağa Medresesi

0.14 MILES

This lovely little building tucked away in the shadow of Aya Sofya was designed by Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan on the orders of Cafer Ağa, Süleyman the…

8. Hippodrome

0.15 MILES

The Byzantine emperors loved nothing more than an afternoon at the chariot races, and this rectangular arena alongside Sultanahmet Park was their venue of…

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