Basilica Cistern

Basilica Cistern, Yerebatan Sarayı, Yerebatan Sarnıcı

Turkey, Istanbul

3 photos

Categories: Museums Istanbul, Story Istanbul, architecture Istanbul

Visit: Paid

Rating 9.0

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Basilica Cistern

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GPS: 41.0084, 28.9779

Basilica Cistern

Basilica Cistern, Yerebatan Sarayı, Yerebatan Sarnıcı

Turkey, Istanbul

The Basilica Cistern is one of the largest and well-preserved ancient underground reservoirs in Constantinople, which has some superficial resemblance to the palace complex. Located in the historical center of Istanbul in the Sultanahmet district opposite the Hagia Sophia.
"Cistern" is translated from Greek as "reservoir". Currently, more than 40 cisterns have been found near Istanbul. A reserve of drinking water was kept in the Basilica in case of a drought or a siege of the city, water was delivered through water pipes and aqueducts (including the largest aqueduct of Constantinople - the Valens aqueduct) from the sources of the Belgrade forest, located 19 km north of the city.
The dimensions of the underground structure are 145 by 65 meters, the capacity is 80,000 cubic meters of water. The vaulted ceiling of the cistern is supported by 336 columns (12 rows of 28 columns) 8 meters high, the columns stand at a distance of 4.80 meters from each other, the walls are made of 4 meters thick refractory bricks and covered with a special waterproofing solution.
Most of the columns were taken from ancient temples, so they differ from each other in the type of marble and the type of processing, some of them consist of one, others of two parts, near two columns at the base of the head of Medusa Gorgon. Next door is the "Pool of Desires", and coins glisten at the bottom of it. On the hill at the exit from the Cistern there is a platform and a restaurant where live music plays in the evening.
The cistern was actively used until the 16th century, later the reservoir was abandoned and heavily polluted, and only in 1987 a museum was opened in the cleaned cistern.

REVIEWS

All reviews (1)

LaFifa

Traveled 14 years ago

Rating 9

Sets in a philosophical way

The Basilica Cistern is a large underground reservoir built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian in 532 to supply the palace with water. The cistern is located in the very center of Sultanahmet. We came here right after breakfast, when there were practically no people inside. Very impressive, mysterious place. Soothing dripping water flowing from eight-meter underground columns. Large, outlandish fish swim in clear, transparent water, which have never seen sunlight. You can wander around the Basilica for hours, thinking about the frailty of life and the mercilessness of time.→

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