Leaving the Blue Mosque, we headed towardsthe Church of Hagia Sophia, Divine Wisdom. But first we passed through the Hippodrome or Sultan Ahmet Square. Just after the Roman capture of the city in the 200's, this area was built for sport, public entertainment, bazaars, weddings, etc.

The Egyptian Obelisk is Istanbul's oldest monument. The Pharoah Tutmose made it in the 5 ^th century B.C. In 390 B.C., the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius I brought it from the Luxor region of Egypt and erected it in its present place.

It was shortened for the trip and erected on a marble base. On the four sides of the base is carved some activities that took place in the Hippodrome - races dancing and even the erecting of the Obelisk.

The Column of Constantine is seen next to this one in the side photo. It is dated the 10 ^th century and was previously covered with embroidered copper and brass plates. They were removed by the Latin invasion of the 13 ^th century and turned into coins.

Kaiser Wilhelm Fountain is the last work of the Hippodrome area. It is dated 1898. The German emperor was impressed by the hospitality on his first trip here, and had this fountain made in Germany and transported here by train and re-assembled here for his second trip.