Istanbul - Hippodrome and Blue Mosque

The Hippodrome was built by the Romans in about 200 AD. It was originally used for chariot racing and other public events, and the stadium surrounding the track held over 100,000 people. The Hippodrome was the center of life in Byzantine Constantinople for over 1,000 years and of Ottoman life in Istanbul for over 400 years. It was also the center of numerous political and civil battles, some brutal. The bloodiest brawl occurred in 532 AD when two rival chariot racing teams ignited a riot that resulted in most of the city being burned. The revolt ended when an army of Justinian's mercenaries massacred about 30,000 people who were trapped in the Hippodrome. Very little of the Hippodrome survives today, and the area is now a large park adjacent to the Blue Mosque. The floor of the Hippodrome lies buried under 16 feet of soil and the track is now a paved road.