This elegant obelisk and the façade of the Blue Mosque behind it coincidentally create a view almost like the facade of ancient Egyptian temples. The architectural and geometric appearance of the mosque is in harmony with the obelisk.
The Obelisk, which has managed to stand in the area where it is located for about 1700 years and is 19.5 meters long, is approximately 24 meters high including its footing. On the footrest at the bottom of the monument, there are reliefs depicting the Obelisk being brought from Egypt to Istanbul, its erection, its location in the hippodrome, horse races, and inscriptions in Greek and Latin.
The Greek inscription at the bottom of the monument reads, "Only Emperor Theodosius dared to lift this four-faced column lying on the ground as a burden, and called Proclus to his aid, and such a huge column stood up in thirty-two days."
The partly cracked Latin inscription on the opposite side of this inscription reads, “Once stubborn, I was commanded to obey the serene master(s) and after the tyrant(s) were eliminated, to bear palm trees… All things bow to Theodosius and his undying cause.” . “So I, defeated and tamed, was lifted up to the heavens above in thirty days, with Proclus ruling.”
There are reliefs on the four sides of the second pedestal, which is located on the pedestal with the inscriptions, telling about the family and palace surroundings of Emperor Theodosius I. The decipherment of the hieroglyphs on the obelisk was made in 1823. In the hieroglyphs, Amon Ra, one of the Egyptian gods, is mentioned and the greatness of Emperor Thutmosis is mentioned.
While the hieroglyphs on the body part of the obelisk facing the Turkish-Islamic Arts Museum read, "Ruler Thutmosis made his vow to God Amon and confessed his impotence, he made this work for his father, the great God Amon-Ra," while the hieroglyphs on the opposite side of the Blue Mosque read, "XIII. III from the dynasty. Thutmosis first makes his sacrifice to the God Amon. With the help and blessings of the very strong and powerful Horus, the pious, the owner of Upper and Lower Egypt, the spiritual descendant of the Great Sun, the educated and nourished by God Tom, and the sacred Mother Goddess. "Tutmosis, who was raised in the tender arms of Nit, took control of all the seas and rivers and had this column built and erected in the thirtieth holiday year of his reign, for the holidays to come for many more years to come."
While the hieroglyphs on the body facing the German Fountain read, "Tutmosis made his sacrifice to Amon-Ra and determined to expand the borders of his country to Mesopotamia with the strength and power granted by Horus", the hieroglyphs on the part facing the Knitted Column read, "He is the recipient of the beneficial blessings of God Horus." Thutmosis, the ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt, the son of the mighty and glorious Sun, went as far as Mesopotamia, traveled in the Mediterranean, and fought great wars even though he was ahead of his soldiers.
The obelisk of Theodosius is the best preserved of the obelisks brought to Constantinople.
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Svetlana
Level 20 Local Expert
November 3
The Obelisk of Theodosius (Egyptian obelisk) is an ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharaoh Thutmose III. It was erected by the Emperor of the Roman Empire Theodosius the Great in 390 AD.
Beautiful and historical. There used to be a horse racing racetrack on this square