Walking on History: The Hidden Byzantine Ruins of Istanbul

Hello dear learners, it’s Seda.

If you have ever walked through Istanbul, you probably know this feeling. You are on a busy street, the smell of fresh simit is in the air, cars are passing by, and life feels loud and modern. Then suddenly, right between two apartment buildings, you notice a massive ancient stone wall. No sign, no explanation. Just history quietly standing there.

This is Istanbul. A true city of layers.

Long before it became the capital of the Ottoman Empire or the vibrant heart of modern Türkiye, this city was Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. While landmarks like Hagia Sophia are known all over the world, there is another city hiding in plain sight. A city made of fragments, ruins, and forgotten structures tucked into basements, back streets, schoolyards, and small neighborhood squares.

Today, inspired by storytellers who explore Istanbul one stone at a time, we will walk through some of these lesser known Byzantine remains and, along the way, learn useful Turkish vocabulary connected to history and place.

1. The Sphendone: The Hidden Curve of the Hippodrome

Most visitors stop at Sultanahmet Square to photograph the Egyptian Obelisk. Few realize that just a short walk to the south stands one of the most impressive remains of the ancient Hippodrome.

The Sphendone is the massive curved retaining wall that once supported the racing arena. Today, part of a school sits directly on top of it. The brickwork you see below is nearly 1,500 years old.

What makes it special is how quietly it exists. Students pass it every day, cars drive by, and the wall simply remains, doing what it has always done.

2. The Column of Marcian, Kıztaşı

In the Fatih district, in the middle of a small and calm square, stands a tall stone column that many people walk past without noticing. This is the Column of Marcian, known in Turkish as Kıztaşı, meaning the Virgin’s Stone.

It was built in the fifth century to honor Emperor Marcian. Over the centuries, it survived fires, earthquakes, and dramatic changes to the city. It has watched Istanbul transform, again and again, while quietly holding its place.

3. The Aqueduct of Valens, Bozdoğan Kemeri

This structure is impossible to miss, yet often overlooked. Cars pass beneath its arches every second.

The Aqueduct of Valens, called Bozdoğan Kemeri in Turkish, was built in the fourth century and supplied water to the city for more than a thousand years. Even today, it shapes the geography of daily life.

It reminds us that Istanbul’s history is not locked inside museums. It is part of the commute.

4. The Palace of the Porphyrogenitus, Tekfur Sarayı

Near the ancient city walls in the Edirnekapı district stands one of the few surviving examples of late Byzantine secular architecture. Known today as Tekfur Sarayı, this building once served as a royal residence.

Later, it became a pottery workshop. Today, it functions as a museum. Its layered history mirrors the city itself. Quiet, resilient, and constantly adapting.

Learn with the Ruins: Useful Turkish Vocabulary

Exploring these historical kalıntılar, these remnants of the past, is also a beautiful way to build vocabulary. Here are some words you will often encounter when learning about Istanbul’s history:

• Kalıntı means ruin or remnant

• Tarihi means historical

• Saklı or gizli means hidden

• Sarnıç refers to a cistern

• Surlar are city walls

• Kemer means arch or aqueduct

• Efsane means legend

• Keşfetmek means to discover

These words appear not only in history books, but also in daily conversations, museum signs, and guided walks around the city.

Why History Helps You Learn Turkish

When you walk through Istanbul and recognize a kemer, or notice a gizli sarnıç beneath a carpet shop, you are no longer memorizing vocabulary. You are connecting words to places, emotions, and lived experience.

This is what real immersion feels like.

Language lives inside stories, spaces, and memory. In my lessons, we do not only study grammar. We explore the soul of the language through culture, history, and everyday life.

If you want to learn Turkish in a way that feels meaningful and grounded, I would love to guide you on that journey.

Have you ever discovered a hidden piece of history while walking through Istanbul?

I would love to hear your story.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Where can I see Byzantine remains in Istanbul without visiting a museum first

A: Start in the Historic Peninsula. In everyday streets around Sultanahmet, Fatih, and along parts of the old city walls, you can still spot visible fragments, columns, and structures that belong to Constantinople’s earlier layers.

Q: Are any “hidden” Byzantine sites actually visitable?

A: Sometimes, yes. A number of remains survive inside or beneath modern buildings, so access depends on the location and current use of the space. The best approach is to research specific sites in advance and check whether they are open to visitors.

Q: How does exploring Istanbul’s Byzantine layer help you learn Turkish?

A: Because the city becomes your vocabulary book. When you connect words like kalıntı (ruin), sarnıç (cistern), sur (city walls), and katman (layer) to real places, the language stops being abstract and starts to stick.