Next to the Blue Mosque, is the site of the roman Hippodrome which was built aournd 200 AD. I was used for Chariot racing and other public events and is an exact copy of the Hippodrome in rome. The actual "track" is about 16 feet below street level. This obelisk was built in Egypt around 1500 BC and stood in Luxor. Constantine brought it to his city. It is believed that the Obelisk is 1/3 the original height and that it had to be cut in order to transport it from Egypt.