This column stood at the heart of the Forum of Constantine the Great. It’s Turkish name means “hooped stone” as it’s part are prevented from falling apart by iron hoops. It originally had a square pedestal, with on it a porphyry plint and seven porphyry drums. The present masonry conceals the lowest of these. At the summit there would be a statue of Constantine as Apollo. This fell down in 1106, some 50 years later Manuel I Commenus replaced the capital with the masonry we see nowadays and a cross on its top. In 1779 the lower masonry was added to bolster up the column. It is no beauty, but definitely a landmark. It gave it name to the surrounding region and the tramway-stop.