Serpent Column
Serpent Column
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The area
Neighborhood: Sultanahmet
With so many unmissable attractions within a mere stroll of each other – and all set around the site of an ancient Byzantine hippodrome – Sultanahmet is an overwhelmingly popular tourist destination, and a prime location for visitors to be wowed on a truly epic scale. Beyond the wonders of the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, and more, this relatively small area of Istanbul somehow manages to retain an air of peace and calm. It offers visitors a significantly less celebrated but nonetheless pleasant network of quaint lanes and side streets, majestic panoramas of the Bosphorus, and an impressive assortment of accommodation options for all budgets and tastes.
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4,445 within 3 miles
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1,192 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
249 reviews
Excellent
48
Very good
117
Average
73
Poor
10
Terrible
1
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Tony J
New Jersey3,962 contributions
May 2024 • Friends
Refer to my other prior Mediterranean cruise reviews of Kusadasi, Ephesus, the Sultan Ahmet Camii - Blue Mosque and the Obelisk of Theodosius. The Obelisk and the Serpent Column are located in the same area within about 55 meters or 2 minutes walk of each other.
The column, also known as the Serpentine Column, is an ancient bronze column at the Hippodrome of Constantinople in what is now Istanbul, Turkey. It is part of an ancient Greek sacrificial tripod, originally in Delphi and relocated to Constantinople by Constantine the Great in 324. It was built to commemorate the Greeks who fought and defeated the Persian Empire at the Battle of Plataea (479 BC). The serpent heads of the 8-meter (26 ft) high column remained intact until the end of the 17th century. More to come regarding other ancient historical sites in this area of Istanbul. More walking!
The column, also known as the Serpentine Column, is an ancient bronze column at the Hippodrome of Constantinople in what is now Istanbul, Turkey. It is part of an ancient Greek sacrificial tripod, originally in Delphi and relocated to Constantinople by Constantine the Great in 324. It was built to commemorate the Greeks who fought and defeated the Persian Empire at the Battle of Plataea (479 BC). The serpent heads of the 8-meter (26 ft) high column remained intact until the end of the 17th century. More to come regarding other ancient historical sites in this area of Istanbul. More walking!
Written July 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PATO-BETO
San Martin, Argentina20,853 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Currently we can only see a small bronze column. It is located on the site of the ancient hippodrome of the city of Constantinople. It was originally eight meters long and was crowned by three snake heads that disappeared, although some parts were recovered and are exhibited in the Istanbul Archeology Museum.
Written January 22, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
YeicGeztoz✔
Türkiye32,976 contributions
Nov 2023 • Solo
It is one of the oldest large-scale monuments of Istanbul from the Classical period that has survived to the present day. The monument, which commemorates the victory of the Greek city states united against the Persian army in 479 BC, was first erected in the temple of Apollo in Delphi. It was later brought to Istanbul by Emperor Constantine in 324 and erected in Sultanahmet Square.
Written December 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sleeping S
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Couples
The Serpent Column also known as the Plataean Tripod built around 479 bc few months after the platean victory of the Greek city states vs the Medes , is an ancient bronze column that once stood at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. It was later moved to Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) . Over the centuries, the column has faced damage, with its original bronze serpent heads now missing.
Written January 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelerCentralFLA
Clermont, FL1,919 contributions
Nov 2023 • Solo
The Serpent Column is in the ancient Hippodrome in the Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul. It is very nearby to the Hagia Sophia and the Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque). The Serpent Column was placed in the Hippodrome of Constantinople by Constantine in the 4th Century. It is made out of bronze and was originally made by the Greeks and placed at Delphi during the Greek War with the Persians.
It is almost 2,500 years old and has a remarkable history. It is not perfectly intact because of damage over the years, but it is still in great shape for its age.
It was amazing to see such a famous piece of ancient history. I recommend a visit to the Hippodrome to see the Serpent Column.
It is almost 2,500 years old and has a remarkable history. It is not perfectly intact because of damage over the years, but it is still in great shape for its age.
It was amazing to see such a famous piece of ancient history. I recommend a visit to the Hippodrome to see the Serpent Column.
Written December 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LexiV
Cleveland, OH1,740 contributions
Feb 2023 • Solo
It was interesting to see. It's hard to miss if you're in the Sultanahmet area, which is where all the most famous attractions are. Several shops sold small statues with the serpent heads still on the top of the column for an idea of what it originally looked like.
Written March 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
OZS_ATW
Budapest, Hungary4,382 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
The Sepent Column can be found in the Sultanahmet Square (ancient Hippodrome). We visited and checked out the Serpent Column on our was to the Blue Mosque. The Serpent Column was placed in the Hippodrome of Constantinople by Constantine in the 4th Century made of bronze. It is over 2,500 years old and brought from Delphi.
Written December 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Frank D
Slidell, LA1,361 contributions
Jul 2022
The Serpentine Column is a bronze work which has survived from the days of the Hippodrome. Another part of Constantine's establishing a new capital of Rome was bringing in monuments so Constantinople would have the look and feel of a capital. Dated to 4th Century AD.
This is well worth seeing in itself but particularly because it is part of The Hippodrome area - A.K.A. Sultanahmet Meydani. This area hosts other historical obelisks and items as well as being on the fringes of many of the major tourist sites of Istanbul. And the Square / Park is a great place to relax and watch people or have a snack without it being a crowded area.
This is well worth seeing in itself but particularly because it is part of The Hippodrome area - A.K.A. Sultanahmet Meydani. This area hosts other historical obelisks and items as well as being on the fringes of many of the major tourist sites of Istanbul. And the Square / Park is a great place to relax and watch people or have a snack without it being a crowded area.
Written July 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ginges_revenge
Brisbane, Australia5,860 contributions
Mar 2020
The Hippodrome is where the Serpent column resides. It was bought in again by Emperor Constantine to adorn the front of the temple Apollo, in Constantinople, the new capital of Rome. It doesn't look much, but it definitely is a must see when in Istanbul. The history it represents is amazing and to see the age and beauty of it, certainly makes the recent history of colonial Australia, positively babyish. It is centrally located in the Sultan Ahmet area near the Blue mosque.
Written October 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ridos
Krasnodar, Russia3,899 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
Made and installed in 479 BC in honor of the Greek victory over the Persians in Greece. Then transported to Constantinople. Then the Persians, as we know, took revenge today, in the city of Constantinople,... oh, Istanbul, they cut off the head of this column and it stands broken. Another attraction...
Written November 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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