The Great Palace of Byzantium, once the heart of the Byzantine imperial court, is an expansive and majestic site located on the slopes of the First Hill. Established by Constantine the Great during the founding of the city, it was continuously expanded and adorned by subsequent emperors, particularly by Justinian I, who enlarged it after the Nika Revolt. Though much of the palace was destroyed during the 1204 sack of Constantinople by the Crusaders, remnants of its splendor can still be found today. The palace complex included several key sections, such as the Sacred Palace, the Palaces of Daphne and Chalke, and the Palaces of Magnaura and Mangana, each contributing to the grandeur of the imperial residence. Over time, the Great Palace was abandoned in favor of the Palace of Blachernae in the 13th century. Despite its ruinous state by the time the Ottoman Empire took control of the city in 1453, its historical significance as the center of Byzantine imperial power remains evident. The area where it stood is now a subject of archaeological exploration, with remnants uncovered in the surrounding vicinity​