Hippodrome - June 30

Istanbul Hippodrome of Constantinople

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV1y-cPENoI

The Hippodrome of Constantinople was the place for horse races. It still survives as a park in which the traces of the old race course are clearly visible It was constructed in 203, during the reign of the emperor Septimius Severus, and after 324 expanded by Constantine the Great. It was about 130 meters wide and 450 meters long, and could accommodate about 40,000-50,000 people. The place, which is more or less northeast-southwest in orientation, is in Turkish called Sultanahmet Meydanı or At Meydanı ("Horse Square").

http://www.livius.org/cn-cs/constantinople/constantinople_hippodrome_1.html

Great link for additional information:

http://www.helleniccomserve.com/hippodrome.html