The Stone of Million, Istanbul

Don't be surprised if they say, you’re now standing at what used to be the center of the world. Not metaphorically—the actual center, according to the Byzantines. The Stone of Million, this humble remnant before you, once marked Zero Mile for the entire empire. Want to know how far it was to Thessaloniki, Antioch, or Rome? The answer started right here. It was Constantinople’s way of saying, “All roads lead to us—thanks for acknowledging it.”

Back in the 4th century, this wasn’t just a stone stub. It was a flashy double triumphal arch topped with a dome, supported by four arches, and crowned with statues of Emperor Constantine and his mother Helena—posing confidently with a cross and staring eastward, as if waiting for applause. Behind them stood Tyche, the goddess of good fortune, presumably making sure the city stayed fabulous.

And get this: long before the world cared about Greenwich, Istanbul was Time Zero. Literally. The global meridian was drawn through the Million’s location. If you set a clock in Paris or Cairo, the time traced back here—Constantinople kept everyone punctual. Maps pointed to this exact spot to tell sailors where "home" really was.

Then came 1884. A bunch of delegates gathered at the International Meridian Conference and said, “Actually… what if we made England the middle?” Just like that, Greenwich got the glory, and the Million Stone was demoted from world anchor to historical footnote.

Yet it still sits proudly in Sultanahmet, quietly reminding us that this was once the center of everything...

So, take a moment. You’re not just visiting a stone—you’re standing on the coordinates where empires measured distance, time, and importance. Not bad for one little marker holding onto its superstar past...