Location of Armada Hotel 

The Fatih district, where Armada Hotel is located, and the Sultanahmet neighbourhood within Fatih both have significant places in the history of Istanbul. Fatih is a close neighbour to Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia Mosque and Museum, and Basilica Cistern. One of the most important features of Sultanahmet is the famous Sultanahmet Square, which shares the same name as Hagia Sophia, one of the World’s wonders. With the newly opened train line, it is now possible to travel from Sirkeci (Bosphorus line excursions, Spice Bazaar and Beyoğlu Tram), Yenikapı (subway connection to the Anatolian side and shopping malls) and Kazlıçeşme (train connection to Europe) and conveniently reach our hotel. 

Amenities of Armada Hotel 

Armada Hotel with all the comforts and time-saving equipment brought about by modern technologies offers welcoming accommodation as well as multi-purpose halls.
Armada Hotel is an ideal address for business meetings, weddings, engagements, anniversaries, graduation ceremonies, and other meetings targeting various purposes.

Location of Armada Hotel and History of the Area

This area, one of the most important squares of the city, was also called the "Roman Circus" in the Roman Empire, meaning "showground". Similar to the ancient Greek hippodromes, Roman Circuses were associated with theatres and amphitheatres, which were the main entertainment centres of the period. In fact, "hippodrome" means "horsemen's" or "horses' square". In Roman circuses, chariot and horse races, special ceremonies were also held and organised on important days of the empire. For example, the circus would be filled with water during shows commemorating sea battles. On the spot where the Blue Mosque stands today, there was the Great Palace.

Today, the square runs in a northeast-southwest direction, with the Blue Mosque to the east, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art and the İbrahim Pasha Palace to the west. In the middle of the wide two-way walkways closed to traffic are structures such as the Knitted Obelisk, the Serpent Column, the Theodosius Obelisk and the German Fountain.

Historical Background 

During the Roman Empire and later the Byzantine Empire, the hippodrome maintained its importance as the city's meeting, entertainment, excitement and sports centre until the 10th century. In addition to chariot races, music ensembles, belly dancers, acrobats, fights with wild animals and meetings were held. For all these activities, there were plenty of vacation days in the Roman period. Hippodrome also became the centre of the uprisings against the state during the Byzantine period. The Nika uprising in the reign of Justtianus is one of them, and the commander Belisarios was suppressed by killing about 30,000 of the uprising. Later, the lynch of Emperor Andronikos I in 1185 was also here.
On the east long side of the hippodrome, which was in the form of a giant size U letter, was the Emperor Lodge in the form of a balcony with four bronze horses on the roof. In the middle, there was a low wall that divided the sand-covered area of the hippodrome into two, competing around the cars, monuments and famous horse races brought from various parts of the empire and their horses. The fame of a car racer swims in all kinds of financial opportunities that may come to mind. The racers were devoted to teams with political forces such as green-blue-white-red. From time to time, politics was involved in the races, and the struggles of mutual forces could turn into terrible massacres. Hippodrome has come to the present day with three monuments that have remained and rise 4-5 meters. These are the Knitted Obelisks, the Obelisk brought from Egypt and the Snake Column brought from the Temple of Apollo in Delfi. During the Ottoman period, in this square, sometimes, such as rich demonstrations in the old days, various festivals and demonstrations were organized. In the west of Hippodrome, opposite the Sultanahmet Mosque, İbrahim Pasha Palace in the 16th century. It is the only example of rich and typical private palaces. İbrahim Pasha was the Grand Vizier of Kanuni.

In the Ottoman period, janissary rebellions were experienced in this region, and the prince circumcision weddings and festivals, which lasted forty days and forty nights, were held here. The 1920 Sultanahmet rally, where Halide Edip spoke against the occupation in Istanbul, was also held here.

Next to Sultanahmet Square, there are Basilica Cistern and Binbirdirek Cistern. Binbirdirek Cistern is found in 224 columns and is estimated to have been built in the 4th century. The Basilica Cistern consists of 336 columns and was made in 527-565 AD. These cisterns, which were restored twice in the Ottoman period, have now been opened for the visits and use of the people for cultural activities.

In the middle of the square, Kayzer Wilhelm has a German fountain built as a memory of his visit. To the west of the square is the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education (Old Istanbul Courthouse). The square is today the most important tourist centre of Istanbul.

Please see below link for Armada Hotel’s corporate culture information:

http://www.armadaistanbulculture.com/