Obelisk of Theodosius - Sultanahmet Square

The Obelisk, which was removed from the front of the Luxor Temple in the city of Thebes, Egypt, was brought to Istanbul by sea under the orders of Roman Emperor Theodosius I and erected in its current location in A.D. 390. The Obelisk was originally constructed for Pharaoh Thutmose III around 1700 B.C. Made of pink granite, the twenty-meter-high column features relief inscriptions in Egyptian hieroglyphics on all four sides. These inscriptions praise the ancient Egyptian god Amon-Ra and recount the victories of Thutmose III. On a two-tiered marble block carrying the monument, inscriptions are written in Greek and Latin. The other sides feature relief sculptures related to the erection of the monument and chariot races.

Additionally, this monument, which is the oldest in Istanbul, is located right in the center of the Hippodrome. The reason for bringing the monument to Istanbul was not only to beautify this square but also to demonstrate Rome's dominance over Egypt. One of the other two columns in Sultanahmet Square was brought from Greece, while the other belongs to the Romans. This was intended to showcase the source of the philosophy and science that formed and sustained the Eastern Roman Empire, illustrating how new Roman thought and dominance were built upon the knowledge of ancient Greece and Egypt.