Descend into the Mysterious Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern sits beneath the streets of Sultanahmet, directly across from Hagia Sophia. Byzantine Emperor Justinian I had it built in the 6th century to store water for the Great Palace of Constantinople, and the engineering still holds up: 336 marble columns, each nine meters tall, standing in rows above shallow, reflective water. Two of the columns rest on carved Medusa heads whose origin is still debated. Soft lighting, classical music, and the echo of dripping water give the place an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the old city. It is cool, dim, and slightly eerie, which is exactly the appeal.

What to see

• The forest of columns: 336 marble columns in twelve rows, rising from the water in the half-light.
• The Medusa heads: two carved Medusa heads used as column bases, one sideways and one upside down, probably reused from an older Roman building.
• The Weeping Column: covered in carved “eyes” and tear-like patterns, and always damp.
• The scale: the cistern could hold tens of thousands of tonnes of water for the Great Palace and the city above.

It was built in the 6th century under Emperor Justinian, the same ruler who built Hagia Sophia. Its Turkish name, Yerebatan Sarnıcı, means “the sunken cistern”.

Visiting tips

• Tickets: there is an entry fee, with higher prices for evening visits; check the current price before you go.
• Allow 30 to 45 minutes; it is cool and damp below ground, so a light layer is welcome in summer.
• Walkways can be slippery: wear shoes with grip.
• Photography is allowed without flash; a phone in night mode works well.

What’s nearby

The entrance is across the street from Hagia Sophia, two minutes from the Blue Mosque and a short walk from Topkapı Palace.

Photos: Moise Nicu, CC BY 3.0; Joseolgon, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons