Why is the Hippodrome of Constantinople mostly gone in present-day Istanbul? It took centuries for this structure to be removed. It was a GIGANTIC building. Think how hard it would be to move all the stones. The process of destruction was began by the vandals of Fourth Crusade in 1203-1204. After that, the Hippodrome was never fully functional as a chariot racing venue. The most damaging thing to the Hippodrome was the fires the crusaders set in Constantinople, especially the western side of the stadium. The statues, priceless ancient treasures from antiquity, were then systematically removed, most of which were melted to make cheap low-value coins. The Hippodrome as it was in its prime was no more. But it was not the end of the story. Despite what I see some people say, the Hippodrome, though falling apart & “greatly damaged” was still somewhat intact after 1204. “Smaller-scale tournaments and activities were organized in the southern half of the Hippodrome” after 1261. Though the Romans never had the wealth to restore the hippodrome after liberating their city from the crusaders, it still was used for less grand spectacles. In the 15th century, Clavijo recorded seeing the Kathisma still there and in use: “In front of these seats, there is a row of pillars, on which is a high seat, raised on four marble pillars, surrounded by other seats, and at each corner there are four images of white marble, the size of a man; and the emperor is accustomed to sit here, when he views the tournaments” The Ottomans found it partially in ruins, damaged, and with no maintenance done in it for centuries. They did not have an organized agenda to destroy it, but it was dismantled it over time. For them restoring a structure which they didn’t need would have been a waste of money. After 1453 “architectural elements such as usable columns and fine stone blocks were taken and re-used in new structures built in the area. In 1521, Sultan Suleiman’s Grand Vizier Ibrahim Pasha constructed his palace in the space making up the western side of the bleachers of the Byzantine Hippodrome. During the construction of this palace…Ibrahim Pasha removed the west wing of the Hippodrome completely and reused its stones” “The Sultanahmet Mosque was built in 1609, on the eastern side of the Hippodrome where the bleachers & the adjacent Byzantine imperial palace area were, & the bleachers and the imperial box(kathisma) were completely removed. During the construction, the rubble removed from the foundation pits of the Ibrahim Pasha Palace & the Sultanahmet Mosque was spread on the Hippodrome area, and the racetrack was buried approximately 5 metres below the level of the present-day promenade. A look at the pedestals of the three monuments which have survived on the spina reveals this situation today.”