Located on the Divanyolu in the district to which has given its name, Cemberlitas, this column was brought to Istanbul from the Temple of Apollo by Constantinus I (B.C. 324-337). The column was topped by a statue of Apollo and, according to pagan tradition, he clasped a javelin in one hand a cross in the orher. The statue was struck by lightning and destroyed, later replaced with a marble cross.

The cross was removed during the Ottoman period but the column was left untouched. Sultan Mustafa II reenforced the column with iron bands and built the pedestal on which it still stands today. The 35 meters high column is though to contains relics belonging to Jesus Christ.