Byzantine Heritage Walking Tour (Self Guided), Istanbul

Originated as a Greek city called Byzantium, what's now known as Istanbul initially made name as Constantinople, an Eastern Roman imperial capital whose greatness had lasted for over a millennium, from 330 AD until the Ottoman invasion in 1453.

The Byzantine Empire’s rich cultural and architectural heritage is still preserved in dazzling sites throughout the city. Away from its Islamic culture, some of Istanbul's imposing and hidden-away landmarks, from important museums to incredible architectural triumphs, are remnants of and testify to its Byzantine past.

The Theodosius Obelisk, the Serpent Column, and the Walled Obelisk are what's left of the former grandeur of the Hippodrome. Also known as Egyptian, for being imported from Egypt, the Obelisk of Theodosius is Istanbul’s oldest historical monument (dating back 3,500 years).

The center of Byzantine Istanbul was two squares: the Forum of Constantine and the Forum of Theodosius. The former plaza, built by Constantine the Great, has a porphyry column honoring the same emperor.

Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı) – a subterranean wonder that seems like a flooded palace is certainly the biggest of the several hundred ancient cisterns found beneath the city.

Another one of great surviving Byzantine sites is the Stone of Million – a partially intact marble pillar, dating back to the 4th century AD; formerly the starting point of any distance measured within the Byzantine Empire.

After the Ottomans captured the city, many of its landmarks, especially churches, were converted to mosques. One such is Hagia Sophia (also known as Ayasofya), the world famous 6th-century hulking monolith, whose minarets (illuminated with spotlights at night) form an iconic part of Istanbul's skyline.

To have a glimpse of medieval Europe's most prestigious and flourishing city and to explore some of its most noteworthy historic locations, take this self-guided walking tour of the "crown jewel" of Byzantium.