istanbul - C2C

52
This important road of the Byzantine Period
was not neglected during the Ottoman Period,
and continued to be used. It only changed
its identity, together with the rest of the town,
and was renamed as Divanyolu which literally
means the road to the court. The road took this
name because the viziers attending to the Divan
(Imperial Court) sessions at Topkapı Palace
used that road on leaving the palace meetings.
Despite the name changed its fate remained the
same: rebels used the route to storm the palace,
and many were executed along it. In short, the
road has witnessed the history of İstanbul.
The first square along the road was the
Agusteion Square, today known as Sultanahmet
Square. During the Roman Period, and its
continuation, the Byzantine Period, the squares
or forums were surrounded by various buildings.
Augusteion Square was surrounded by the
Great Palace, the Hippodrome and Ayasofya,
the most important monuments of the past to
have survived to our day. The Million Stone was
regarded as the starting point of all destinations
when İstanbul was considered to be the centre of
the world. Although it is an unassuming broken
column near the Yerebatan Cistern that fails to
attract the attention of passersby at present,
it was the starting point of all roads in the
Byzantine Period.
The road called Mese in Byzantine Period and
Divanyolu in Ottoman Period was approximately
on the same route with today’s tram line. By
following the tram line the other squares can
be reached. As this route played an interesting
role in the Ottoman Period, to follow its course
enables visitors to see some important Ottoman
buildings. The first building is the Firuz Agha
Mosque, which is located to the left of the road.