The Greeks and Romans often staged the chariot race in the Hippodrome was a characteristic feature of big Polis (city). In 203 ad Septimius Severus began to rebuild destroyed them same town and the first thing he did was started the construction of the Hippodrome. Constantine I made a territory of the Racetrack more and more beautiful. In his reign the length of the Hippodrome was about 500 meters and a width of 130 meters. Treadmills had a U-shape. They were surrounded by stands for spectators, a capacity of 40 000 spectators. Luxurious bed of the Imperator was located on the Southeast side and was connected with the Palace.

For a long time the Hippodrome was the centre of social and sporting life of the capital of the Byzantine Empire. It was held chariot races, Gladiator fights with wild animals, and also hosted performances of artists, acrobats, musicians, and conducted the ceremony. Gradually, the townspeople were divided into two teams of fans – "blue" and "green". In clothes of these colors were dressed popular teams participating in the races. Often clashes "fans" had a political and religious nature, was accompanied by riots, pogroms and bloody carnage. During one such major pogrom that took place in the year 532, the fire started, half the town destroyed, killing about 30,000 people. The Imperial residence was moved from the Grand Palace and the Hippodrome began to disintegrate. In 1204, the participants of the IV Crusade finally destroyed and looted the Racecourse. Took Constantinople, the Ottomans didn't got the racing chariots, therefore, not involved in the restoration of the Hippodrome, which has become a source of marble, columns and stone blocks for construction.

After a mosque was built Sultanahmet, the site of a former Racetrack was called At once called (the Size of Horses). It was a place of training horses and a variety of public events. Today this area is called Sultanahmet, once called the (Sultanahmet area). Track Racetrack were covered with earth (the layer thickness of 4-5 meters) and created a huge square.

From the Hippodrome remained only the ruins of arches and fragments of walls. Once the wall of the Hippodrome, which is called "Spin" was adorned with monuments, statues, obelisks, hourglasses and other trophies. To this day preserved Egyptian obelisk (the height of 20 meters), column of Constantine Porphyrogenita (height 32 meters) and Serpent column from the temple of Apollo. Survived 4 bronze horse (4th century BC), which were installed on the roof of the starting premises of the Racetrack. In 1204, the crusaders stole the bronze horses and set them on the facade of St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice. But in 1797, Napoleon conquered Italy and was ordered to set the horses on the Arch Carousel in Paris. And in 1815 the horses again returned to Venice and today they are in the Museum of St. Mark.

In the West of the Hippodrome is the Palace of Ibrahim Pasha (16th century). Currently it houses the Museum of Turkish and Islamic arts, which presents ancient manuscripts, carpets, snicka tiles, miniatures and ancient clothing.