Almost every traveler who has visited Istanbul has likely seen a tall column near one of the entrances to the Grand Bazaar. This structure is known as the Column of Constantine. The monument has stood in this spot for around 1,700 years.
Column of Constantine: History
The city of Constantinople, the capital of Byzantium, was founded on the site of an earlier settlement in 324 AD. The Column of Constantine appeared here just six years later, erected to commemorate the transfer of the Roman Empire’s capital to this location.
The column was brought to the city from the Temple of Apollo in Rome. Originally, a statue of the god Apollo stood at its top. In the past, the site of today’s Çemberlitaş Square, where the column now stands, was home to the Forum of Constantine. At that time, forums were places where important public and political events took place in the city.
The Column of Constantine is 35 meters tall. It is made of porphyry, a volcanic rock containing large silicate and quartz crystals. The column was constructed from eight rings, each three meters in diameter and weighing three tons, all placed atop a pedestal. Some sources suggest that the Column of Constantine is the largest porphyry structure in the world.
Shortly after the column was installed, Emperor Constantine ordered the statue of Apollo to be replaced with a sculpture of himself. Over time, different figures took turns atop the monument, including statues of Emperors Julian and Theodosius. Later, a cross was placed at the summit, but it was removed after the city was conquered in 1453.
Over the years, the Column of Constantine suffered damage from fires and lightning strikes. To preserve the monument, its lower part was enclosed in a stone base, and the upper rings were reinforced with iron bands. This reinforcement led to the column’s second name, Çemberlitaş, which means “Column with Rings” in Turkish.
I came across a legend associated with the monument: some believe that Emperor Constantine hid sacred relics beneath the column, including fragments of the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified and the axe Noah used to build the Ark.
Column of Constantine: How to Get There
The monument is located near the Çemberlitaş tram stop on line T1. This tram line passes through many of the city's major tourist sites, and its cars are often overcrowded. Because of this, I would recommend reaching the column by metro or on foot from other landmarks. For example, you can take the Marmaray line to Sirkeci Station, walk through Sirkeci Train Station, Gülhane Park, and past Hagia Sophia to reach the column. This walk takes about 30 minutes.
Have a nice trip!
