Column of Constantine (Çemberlitaş): Constantinople's Burnt Column

Updated on October 8, 2026

On Divanyolu avenue, between Sultanahmet and the Grand Bazaar, a tall porphyry column bound with iron stands in the middle of a crossroads: it is the Column of Constantine, which Istanbul people call Çemberlitaş, the "hooped stone". The emperor Constantine raised it in 330 to inaugurate his new capital, and it stood at the centre of the Forum of Constantine. It is about 35 m tall today and has lost the statue that crowned it. You see the monument from outside, free of charge, at any hour; allow 10 to 15 minutes, more if you continue to the nearby hammam or the Grand Bazaar.

Highlights

The porphyry shaft

The column is made of porphyry drums, a dark red rock from Egypt, set on a high masonry base. The iron hoops, added to hold the drums together, gave it its Turkish name. The black marks recall the fire of 1779, which ravaged the neighbourhood and also earned it the name "Burnt Column".

The top

Look up: according to tradition, Constantine was shown at the top as the sun god. The statue fell in a storm in 1106 and was replaced by a cross, which has also gone. The column was originally taller than it is today.

The base

The masonry base was added under Sultan Abdülhamid I, who had the column restored after the fire of 1779. The monument was reinforced several times in the 20th century, then between 2004 and 2009.

The Divanyolu crossroads

The column stands amid tram traffic and pedestrians. A few steps away, the Çorlulu Ali Pasha madrasa and the tea houses along the street offer a break.

Practical info

Tips

This is a monument to look at from the pavement: no ticket, no opening hours, no interior. The area around it is a busy crossroads; watch out for the trams. For the Byzantine background, see our guide to Byzantine Istanbul. Information checked in October 2026.

How to get there

Binbirdirek Mahallesi, Divanyolu Caddesi, Çemberlitaş, Fatih, Istanbul. T1 tram (Kabataş-Bağcılar), Çemberlitaş stop, in front of the column. From Sultanahmet Square, allow 8 to 10 minutes on foot along Divanyolu, or one tram stop.