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Almost everyone who visits Istanbul sees the same relics of Byzantine Constantinople. Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern and, of course, the Hippodrome. But if you know where to look, the city of Constantine and Justinian awaits you everywhere, hidden in plain sight. Not far from Hagia Sophia and the Hippodrome is the so- called House of Four Ages, known for the almost geological layering of its rear facade. The granite columns at the base belong to a late Roman cistern. The arches above are Byzantine. Above them is part of an Ottoman bathhouse and a house built shortly after the founding of modern Turkey. The most amazing thing about the House of Four Ages is how inconspicuous it is. As I mentioned in my previous video about the hidden ruins of
Constantinople (link in description), Istanbul stands on the ruins of its Greek, Roman, and Byzantine predecessors. This palimpsest is best seen in Sultanahmet, one of the oldest parts of the city. For a millennium, most of the current Sultanahmet district was occupied by the Grand Palace of the Byzantine emperors. Begun by Constantine, the Grand Palace evolved into a sprawling complex of pavilions, gardens, and chapels. Neglected even before the Ottoman conquest, its ruins gradually became covered by a bustling Turkish quarter. Parts of the Grand Palace reopened after the Great Fire. Although most of the remains were soon covered by new buildings, one section, which probably connected the Imperial Apartments with
the Hippodrome, was excavated and opened to visitors as the Museum of Mosaics of the Grand Palace. Other parts of the palace were discovered during more or less unofficial excavations in the basements of local institutions, the most famous of which is the Four Seasons Hotel, located in the former Sultanahmet Prison. Other fragments, like this stone remnant, are found every time a new building is constructed. The most notable remains on the surface belong to the Magnavra-the part of the Great Palace where ambassadors were usually received and where basilica-shaped throne room, Magnavra included a bridal chamber, a bathhouse, and a church, none of which have been definitively identified.
Yet among the bars and hotels of Akbiyik Street, one of the towers of Magnavra-a structure that connected the different levels of the palace-still stands three stories tall. After decades of operation as a sock factory, the ramp tower was rather crudely restored in the 1990s. There are plans to develop it as a museum or restaurant. Beyond the ramp tower, along Kutluguni Street, more parts of Magnavra were opened in the 1990s. Since then, unfortunately, this place has been abandoned behind a construction fence . Some Byzantine walls were carelessly restored with modern bricks and reinforcement-a practice reminiscent of the crude restoration of the Theodosian Walls of the same period. Like many of Istanbul's ruins, this part of the Grand Palace seems to be stuck in a
precarious state between preservation and This will probably continue for a long time. We will explore more hidden ruins after a brief mention of the sponsor of this video. You don't have to visit Istanbul to see Byzantine monuments. Thanks to Kinser Coins, you can get a piece of Byzantium delivered right to your door. Kinser Coins offers a wide selection of ancient and medieval coins, all authentic and carefully attributed. For Told in Stone viewers, a free Late Roman bronze coin will be added to every order while supplies last History buffs who want to learn about coin collecting will find helpful tips and resources in the Collectors Academy section of the Kinser Coins website. To get a piece of history and a free coin,
visit kinzercoins.com and use the code toldinstone. Returning to our topic: a few steps from the ruins of Magnavra lies another underappreciated memory of the Byzantine city. The famous Hippodrome of Constantinople was dismantled for building materials at the beginning of the Ottoman period, leaving only a few monuments standing on its back. However, few visitors realize that the massive foundations of the sphendona, the curved end of the hippodrome, are still visible. Although the arched seating structure and the colonnade that crowned it have disappeared, the brick substructures remain, now supporting buildings of the late Ottoman school. Below lies a large and well- preserved Byzantine cistern that still holds water. It probably dates back to the 5th
century, when the vaults of the sphendon were walled up after an earthquake. Almost within sight of the sfendona is Istanbul's oldest continuously operating religious building. Now a mosque, known as the Küçük Hagia Sophia (Little Hagia Sophia), it was originally the church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, built by Justinian at the beginning of his reign. Although the atrium and much of the decoration disappeared during the Ottoman era, the building has generally survived. The former church with a central layout, crowned by a dome, retains its columns of exquisite imported marble. The capitals, similar to those of Hagia Sophia, are decorated with the monograms of Justinian and Theodora. The frieze between the first and
second tiers contains a long Greek inscription praising the imperial couple and, almost in passing, Saint Sergius. The interior would have looked even more impressive in the Byzantine era, when the walls were covered in marble and the dome shone with golden mosaics. The ablution fountain in the courtyard appears to have been made from a Byzantine sarcophagus-an apt representation of the building's double life. On the other side of the historic center of Istanbul, next to the Grand Bazaar, just behind the Nuruosmaniye Mosque, lies another Byzantine sarcophagus. Made of Egyptian porphyry, it comes from the imperial mausoleum attached to the Church of the Holy Apostles. The name of the emperor or empress who rested inside is unknown.
The sarcophagus was probably brought here to be sawn into building material. Somehow he managed to avoid this fate. A few minutes' walk from the porphyry sarcophagus is the Ringstone Hotel, whose management kindly allowed me to explore the Byzantine cistern behind their building. There are over 200 Byzantine cisterns beneath Istanbul, many of which have never been professionally surveyed or documented. Although this structure is partially destroyed, it preserves the mouth of the well through which water was taken. What is preserved above is probably the foundation of a Byzantine church or baptistery. There is not much to see inside, only the brick vaults that supported the roof.
Initially, the cistern was filled with water almost to the very top. Now it is used only for storage-a fairly common " second career" in a city where Byzantine cisterns have been converted into everything from bars to auto repair shops. A modern brick wall on one side indicates that part of the cistern is still filled in. But, apart from basic strengthening and fortification, the cleared section appears to have remained largely unchanged since this fragment of Byzantine Constantinople saw the light of day. If you want to join me in exploring other little-known ruins, from the abutments of the longest Roman bridge to the tunnels of a perfectly preserved Roman gold mine, check out my Romania tour in June 2027, linked
in the description. Due to overwhelming demand, I have added a new departure date for my "Roman Ruins of Tunis" tour. You will find the link below. My new book, Aqueducts, Fighter Pigeons, and Mystery Cults, is now available in hardcover and paperback. Additional content, including my recent interview with Tom Hiddleston, can be found on Tollan Stone's Patreon. Finally, don't forget about my other channels: Tollan Stone Footnotes and Scenic Routes to the Past. Thank you for watching.
