This is also known as the Yerebatan Sarayı, or Underground Cistern, Istanbul. It was originally constructed by that great builder, the Emperor Justinian in the sixth century, on a site to be near the old palace. It was also known as the Basilica Cistern. It is one of the biggest of the Byzantine cisterns, being 140 metres by 70 metres (154 by 77 yards). It has no less than 336 columns, each 8 metres (about 26,5 it) high.
As in the equally famous Thousand and One Columns, no part of the pillars have remained in the ground. It is the only one of the old Byzantine cisterns which still contains water, which is brought from the reservoirs in the Forest of Belgrad. Electric light has been installed and it is possible to go for a row in it in a boat. It is one of the most impressive of all Byzantine remains, a fitting offset to the wonderful building of Justanian nearby, Aya Sofya, that is, Hagia Sofia.
Continuing from the Underground Cistern, Istanbul in the direction of the trams, we come to Hagia Sofya Place with the Aya Sofya Museum. To the south of the Museum is the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet. Here too we see the Obelisk and the Hippodrome Place, the Atmeydani, to-day the Place of Sultan Ahmet. And then, on the north side, there is the old Church of St. Irene, the Palace of Topkapi, the Topkapi Museum, the Museum of the Ancient East, the Archaeological Museum and the Tile Kiosk.
amazing to see this beautiful masterpiece, but my friends and myslef thought there was a certain eerieness about this place, but I managed to take the most amazing pictures of this place… but still sends a shiver down my spine thinking about it…if you like dungeons etc, you'll love this
There was a wonderful section to dress up in traditional royal clothing to take pictures and have them printed.
This is maybe the best place I went in Istanbul. The aura there is so powerful. The slow music they played is somewhat mysterious, and it was really a unique experience!
This was one of my favorite sights in Istanbul. The cistern was so beautiful and unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It was peaceful and I could have spent a long time there.
The two medusa heads on the columns were very interesting as well.
Must see if you’re in Istanbul.
Not on our Istanbul City tour for some reason? Located in central Istanbul it is an amazing construction and historical site. A must see, very interesting the lighting adds to the atmosphere.
I found this to one of the most interesting sites that I visited in Istanbul. From the outside it looks like a small, plain building on the side of the street, but once you go down the stairs inside, it opens up into an enormous column-lines cistern that is beautiful to walk through.
Everything about the Basilica Cistern was so magical. We did have to wait a bit (we went during the heat of August, so that was brutal), but once inside it was perfectly cool and absolutely stunning. This is a MUST SEE!
This is right in the middle of other "must see" sites. It sits near the Grand Bazaar, the Blue Mosque and the Museum.
It is very easy to find and there are very many restaurants near it.
A hidden gem beneath the city. Well worth a visit. Value for money and great way to spend an hour. Fascinating and interesting bit of Turkish history.
Other than the Medusa Heads ( there are 2 ) and the wishing pool, there's also a tear pillar, yeah, the pillar has some designs on it, and it's constantly wet all the time, so it looks as if it's crying. Creepy yet fascinating at the same time.