Divan Road

Divan Road is the road used actively by many civilizations starting from ancient times. This road, which had a very important place especially in the Roman and Byzantine periods, continued to be used in the Ottoman Empire. The road, which was called "Mese" in the previous periods, was called "Divan Road" in the Ottoman period. As can be understood from its name, the Ottoman Empire used it as a kind of protocol road. Viziers, ambassadors or soldiers use this way to discuss the state affairs in the palace. Divan Road was first built during the reign of Constantine I. Over time, it becomes one of the main streets of the city.

Divan Road, passing through the middle of the Historic Peninsula, extends to Million Stone and Beyazıt Square. There are two separate streets on the road consisting of Divan Road Street and Yeniçeriler Street. Expansion works are carried out on these streets in the 1950s. In this process, unfortunately, many historical artifacts are destroyed. Some works change their places or disappear altogether. Today, Divan Road is not a suitable place for vehicular traffic. Only trams pass through this area, it is closed for vehicular traffic.

It is possible to walk the entire Divan Road in approximately 20-25 minutes. It is very exciting to walk on this special and fascinating road that has witnessed the stories of many civilizations in history. According to rumors, this road is believed to be the starting point of the world in the Roman period. The Divan Road, which is preserved in a respectful manner, is sometimes referred to as the Way of the Emperors. In the early days, this was a part of the 1000 km long Egnatia Road. With Byzantium, it starts to lose its importance slowly. Divan Road, which has been even the subject of poems, is considered as the widest street of the city until the 18th century.