History and Origin
The Serpentine Column, also known as the Bronze Serpent Column, is located in the Sultanahmet district of Istanbul, in the former Hippodrome area known as the Horse Square. Depicting three intertwined pythons in bronze, this Ancient Greek monument stands as the oldest large-scale monument surviving from Istanbul’s classical period.
The artifact was built in 479 BC to commemorate the victory of the united Greek city-states against the Persian army and was originally erected at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. According to historical records, the monument was brought to Istanbul by Emperor Constantine in 324.
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Architectural Condition and Legends
Believed in the past to possess magical powers to protect the city against insects and reptiles, the lower and upper sections of the column are broken. Only 29 coils and a 5-meter section of its original state have survived to the present day.
Two of the serpent heads belonging to the column are missing. The third head is currently housed in the Istanbul Archaeology Museums.
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