I was there two weeks ago and it was an amazing experience. If you have the opportunity, I would recommend walking the Theodosian walls from South to North, finishing at the Palace of Blachernae.
@e.t.ethics1771it’s a public square, it’s open 24/7. There is quite a lot of police and gendarmes around but that’s just because it’s a heavy tourist site
A thousand thanks to you for taking the time and effort to make these videos! You are doing the world a great service, and helping me experience places I may never see in person.
There are actually some visible remnants of the hippodrome structure below the school behind the Egyptian obelisk. It's not open to the public yet, but I believe there's some restoration ongoing at the moment.
Thanks for the tour, Ryan. I will go and see it myself if I get the chance to visit Istanbul. Only some days ago my friend went to Istanbul with his family. He should have seen this video first. I'll ask him if he visited the site. Greetings from Denmark.
If i had a bazillion dollars, i would hire you to be my personal tour guide, and we would go and see everything, there could be no better way to experience these ancient marvels than with someone who is well-versed in the lore and history and enjoys talking about it.... it's cool that you exist.!
I am flying to Istanbul in four weeks. This is one of many must see in Istanbul. Excellent narration of the historical importance of these obelisk/monuments. Thank you.
The riots also started from there (the Hippodrome), were unnecessary and violent as f**k and burned big parts of the town including important buildings and statues that were part of Constantinople's cultural identity and part of the whole Graeko-Roman culture. The great Zeus of Phidias, once brought here like many marvels of the ancient world, was one of the victims of this rebellion (just to give an example). The destruction was so big that it is a main reason why later Constantinople did look way less "Roman" than it did from the beginning. And it directly threatened the rule of Justinian. 20.000 dead is a lot and unfortunately this number seems to be factual according to historians (some speak of even higher death tolls), but how could an emperor let this atrocious act happen without severe punishment? This whole story is so messed up and brutal... and unnecessary.😵 In the end it only strengthened Justinians rule, because it was also a way for him to kill off his opposition, who thought they had something to gain by participating and adding more fuel to the riot. Most of the 20.000 dead would've survived, if the riots had stopped early enough (Justinian promised judicial amnesia, but no one listened and they went on trying to get an usurpator on his throne. Then the slaughter started).
Do you know why there is a vertical channel missing in the base @4:28? At first I thought it was a hole drilled thru it. But it looks more like erosion. Acid rain damage?
It looks like the base of the obelisk was used to support another structure, possibly the divider or wall that bisected the hippodrome that the chariots would race around.
A wonderful observation indeed. I've thought the same all my life. There is something dark, dismal, and bleak about the Byzantines. I'm from Türkiye and everytime I see relics from the Byzantine times, this thought inevitably emerges in my head.
I've viewed many Byzantine items and have never thought this once before. I guess it has more to do with the personal opinions of the viewer than the item itself.
![[TH] RNT vs SPG - VCT Ascension Pacific - Day 1](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RUTkf8Detj8/mqdefault.jpg)
I was there two weeks ago and it was an amazing experience. If you have the opportunity, I would recommend walking the Theodosian walls from South to North, finishing at the Palace of Blachernae.
@e.t.ethics1771it’s a public square, it’s open 24/7. There is quite a lot of police and gendarmes around but that’s just because it’s a heavy tourist site
The the quality, as ever, exceptional, & I kinda like the brevity too. A rare thing left wanting more, rather than far less. Cheers.
Yep. Exactly the right amount.
As a Byzantinophile of forty-two years, I love being able to see these monuments.
A thousand thanks to you for taking the time and effort to make these videos! You are doing the world a great service, and helping me experience places I may never see in person.
Thank you for such educational commentary!! Can't wait to see these myself later this year
I really want to go. It's just so cool to me to be able to see the same obelisk that countless other people have gazed at through the millennia
Great to see you here Dr. Ryan. Have you ever thought about doing an actual history tour with people in Istanbul like you did in Rome?
There are actually some visible remnants of the hippodrome structure below the school behind the Egyptian obelisk. It's not open to the public yet, but I believe there's some restoration ongoing at the moment.
Yes, you're right. I saw the wall 3 years ago.
Great tour!
Great videos, thank you! We were just there last week, this answers so many of our questions :)
Greatly appreciate your efforts
what a beautiful city
There is a wall from the Hippodrome left standing. Look up the "Sphendone".
Been there. Unfortunately didn’t take pictures of the obelisk. Thanks very much for this video.
Thank you for this video..since it is unlikely I will see it in person
Outstanding
Great information. Lovely footage.
Really awesome guide. Good work :)
Thanks for the tour, Ryan. I will go and see it myself if I get the chance to visit Istanbul. Only some days ago my friend went to Istanbul with his family. He should have seen this video first. I'll ask him if he visited the site. Greetings from Denmark.
If i had a bazillion dollars, i would hire you to be my personal tour guide, and we would go and see everything, there could be no better way to experience these ancient marvels than with someone who is well-versed in the lore and history and enjoys talking about it.... it's cool that you exist.!
I am flying to Istanbul in four weeks. This is one of many must see in Istanbul. Excellent narration of the historical importance of these obelisk/monuments. Thank you.
It would have been exciting to witness the chariot races.
20,000 thousand people died there during the Nika Riots, killed by Justinian, his Wife and their soldeirs
The riots also started from there (the Hippodrome), were unnecessary and violent as f**k and burned big parts of the town including important buildings and statues that were part of Constantinople's cultural identity and part of the whole Graeko-Roman culture. The great Zeus of Phidias, once brought here like many marvels of the ancient world, was one of the victims of this rebellion (just to give an example). The destruction was so big that it is a main reason why later Constantinople did look way less "Roman" than it did from the beginning. And it directly threatened the rule of Justinian.
20.000 dead is a lot and unfortunately this number seems to be factual according to historians (some speak of even higher death tolls), but how could an emperor let this atrocious act happen without severe punishment? This whole story is so messed up and brutal... and unnecessary.😵
In the end it only strengthened Justinians rule, because it was also a way for him to kill off his opposition, who thought they had something to gain by participating and adding more fuel to the riot.
Most of the 20.000 dead would've survived, if the riots had stopped early enough (Justinian promised judicial amnesia, but no one listened and they went on trying to get an usurpator on his throne. Then the slaughter started).
Istanbul 😊
Cool, thanks
1:28 Ancient obelisk rebuilt twice = “Trigger’s broom”
Thanks for these. Have you been to Provence, southern France, in your travels yet?
I have, though not for almost a decade. I need to go back, now that I have this channel...
Do you know why there is a vertical channel missing in the base @4:28? At first I thought it was a hole drilled thru it. But it looks more like erosion. Acid rain damage?
It looks like the base of the obelisk was used to support another structure, possibly the divider or wall that bisected the hippodrome that the chariots would race around.
@@bobfrog4836 I don't think they would have used and carved a flawed piece of stone.
ISTANBUL
You missed the massive wall that still exists just a short stroll from here still standing belonging to the hippodrome.
Moooore!
Why didn't Constantinople have a Amphitheater?
“Dream on, Constantine” lol
What happened to the bottom third of the obelisk?
any travels back to jordan?
Jordan has some fantastic antiquities!
@@bobfrog4836 yes but sadly not taken care of
At what point did the chariot teams winnow from 4 to 2?
Could you give the source of this Polish drunken ambassador who knocked over the serpent statue? Never heard of that tbh
Jaroslaw Kaczynski
Why do Byzantine things always look sad and morbid?
A wonderful observation indeed. I've thought the same all my life. There is something dark, dismal, and bleak about the Byzantines. I'm from Türkiye and everytime I see relics from the Byzantine times, this thought inevitably emerges in my head.
I've viewed many Byzantine items and have never thought this once before. I guess it has more to do with the personal opinions of the viewer than the item itself.
I'm from İstanbul, I find them strong and soothing, this is simply a matter of perspective.
their Mosaics and icons are bright and vibrant
@@Roman-Pregolin Bullshit.
OF course it was Slave.