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The space still retains the long shape of the chariot racing track which was famous in antiquity and was the site of a famous riot. The fans of the racing teams were as obsessed as modern day football fans.

In the centre, the late Roman and Byzantine emperors displayed numerous antiquities hauled to Constantinople from all over the empire, including Egyptian obelisks and the serpent column from the sanctuary of Delphi in Greece, which was set up to commemorate victory over the Persians by the Greeks in 480 BC. Only the column is there now, but it used to support a giant tripod (bowl on three legs) - a fitting symbol to put in the Hippodrome since tripods were, like modern 'cups', the usual prize in athletic games.

The Egyptian obelisk is from Karnak, brought to Constantinople by Theodosius I, and placed on a relief-decorated base. The base shows the imperial court and Hippodrome scenes, and around it is the original ground level of the Hippodrome.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/5076 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/5074
Chemberlitash Hamam: a spacious Turkish bath - the changing room, if I recall, is a corridor, but the actual hamam is large and one can spread out and lie on the marble slab in peace. In the smaller baths, there is no room on the central marble slab and you have to sit around, sweating and waiting for your turn for massage instead of lying down and relaxing.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/5074