Which vast palace complex served as the main imperial residence in Constantinople?

The Great Palace of Constantinople was the vast palace complex that served as the main imperial residence of the Byzantine emperors. Also called the Sacred Palace, it stood between the Hippodrome and Hagia Sophia on the southeastern side of the city’s historic peninsula.

The palace was not a single building but an evolving group of pavilions, courtyards, churches, reception halls, offices, and ceremonial spaces. Constantine the Great began planning it after refounding Byzantium as Constantinople in 330. The complex was rebuilt and expanded repeatedly, especially after the Nika riots of 532, when Justinian I commissioned major reconstruction.

The Great Palace remained the center of imperial administration and ceremony for centuries. From the early 11th century, emperors increasingly preferred the Palace of Blachernae as a residence, but the Great Palace retained major official functions. Topkapı Palace belongs to the later Ottoman period, while Dolmabahçe Palace was built much later and was not Byzantine.