German Fountain
Tours & Tickets for German Fountain
Istanbul Old City Full-Day Guided Tour
Istanbul Old City Half-Day Guided Morning Tour
About German Fountain
The German Fountain sits at the northern end of the old Hippodrome, on At Meydani in Istanbul's Sultanahmet area, roughly between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. It was a gift from Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, built to mark his 1898 visit to the city and its ruler at the time, Sultan Abdulhamid II. The fountain was made in Germany, shipped in pieces, and assembled on this spot in 1900, which is why it looks a little different from the Ottoman fountains elsewhere in the city.
It's an octagonal, domed structure raised on eight columns of dark stone, with a canopy that shades the small fountain basins below. Step underneath and look up: the inside of the dome is lined with gold mosaic, and the monograms of the Kaiser and the Sultan are worked into the design, a small record of the alliance the fountain was meant to celebrate. The style is neo-Byzantine, a deliberate nod to the city's older architecture, so it blends into the square more than you might expect for something built by a German workshop.
There's no ticket and no queue. The fountain stands in the open on the Hippodrome square, so you can walk up to it any time, and most people pass it in a few minutes on the way between the bigger sights nearby. It pairs naturally with a walk through the Hippodrome itself, where you'll also find the Obelisk of Theodosius and the Serpent Column, and it's an easy add-on to a day spent at Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Basilica Cistern, all within a short walk. Early morning or late afternoon light is kindest for photos, and the square is quieter then too.
