Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern in Istanbul was built in the 6th century by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, after a period of rioting convinced him that the palace needed a secure water supply. Its location was forgotten until it was rediscovered in the 16th century.

Before the city of Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks, the cistern was called the “Basilica Cistern” because there was a basilica on ground level above it. Later in Turkish, it came to be called “Yerebatan Sarnıcı,” meaning “Underground Cistern” or “Yerebatan Saray,” meaning “Underground Palace.”

Today, the Basilica Cistern is a major tourist attraction on most Istanbul tours. It is worth the visit since it is one of the most unusual places you’ll likely see. You might even recognize it from a scene in the 1963 James Bond film “From Russia with Love,” where James Bond, played by Sean Connery, is in a boat in the Basilica Cistern. He is portrayed as being under the Soviet Consulate (actually, the Soviet Consulate was nowhere near the cistern).

You won’t need a boat to see the Basilica Cistern. The water is relatively shallow, and concrete walkways provide access to every part of the cistern. Visiting the Basilica Cistern is also a nice break from visiting Istanbul when it is hot. It’s nice and cool down there, and it has its own cafe inside, near the stairs going to the entrance.

Where is the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul?

The Basilica Cistern is in the Sultanahmet neighborhood of the Fatih District of Istanbul, on the west side of Yerebatan Caddesi (street), 150 meters (490 feet) southwest of the Hagia Sophia church. It is within easy walking distance of Sultanahmet’s other major tourist attractions. Yerebatan Caddesi ends in a T-intersection with Divan Yolu Caddesi, the main street and tramway that runs through Sultanahmet.

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Architecture of the Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern measures 138 x 65 meters (453 feet by 213 feet), around 9,800 square meters (105,000 square feet). It could hold up to 80,000 cubic meters (2,800,000 cubic feet) of water. 336 marble columns, each nine meters (30 feet) tall, in 12 rows of 28 columns support the ceiling of cross-shaped vaulted arches. The columns are a mixed collection, formerly used in other structures.

History of the Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern was originally built by Roman Emperor and city founder Constantine the Great (reigned 306—337 AD) and later enlarged by Emperor Justinian I, after the Nika Riots of 534, which destroyed half of Constantinople and almost caused Justinian to flee for his life. Justinian’s enlarged cistern provided filtered water to the Great Palace and other local buildings.

After the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople in 1453, the cistern supplied water to Topkapı Palace.

The water came from a water distribution center in the Belgrade Forest, some 19 meters (12 miles) north. The water traveled over an aqueduct system, including the 971-meter-long (3,186 feet) Valens Aqueduct, constructed by Roman Emperor Valens (reigned 364—378 AD). The Valens aqueduct is still standing, and you can see it spanning Atatürk Bulvarı (boulevard) some 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) west. The traffic lanes of Atatürk Bulvarı run between the columns of the aqueduct.

The Basilica Cistern also received water from the Mağlova Aqueduct, built by Justinian. The remains of this aqueduct are some 16 kilometers (10 miles) northeast of the cistern.

The Basilica Cistern was eventually forgotten until 1565, when Petrus Gyllius, a famous French traveler, saw people drinking water and catching fish from wells sunk into the ground. Gyllius found an opening into the cistern and lowered himself and a rowboat into it. The cistern was in bad shape, having been used as a dump and a place to dispose of dead bodies.

In 1723, Sultan Ahmet III (reigned 1703—1730) repaired and renovated the cistern. After the renovation, the Basilica Cistern became a tourist attraction, bringing in visitors from around the world.

Today, concerts are occasionally held in the Basilica Cistern. To see if there are any upcoming events, go to Türkiye’s premier online ticket source, www.biletix.com.

Visiting the Basilica Cistern

After entering the Basilica Cistern, you will walk down 52 steps to the floor. The floor extends as walking platforms you can use to explore the entire cistern. There is also a cafe.

The Gorgon (Medusa) Heads

In the far left corner of the cistern, as viewed from the entrance, look for two sideways and upside-down blocks carved with Gorgon heads. The Gorgon, also known as Medusa, was cursed by the gods. The curse involved Medusa being given a horrific appearance, snakes for hair, and a gaze that instantly killed anyone looking at her. Because of this myth, the face of the gorgon was carved into architectural pieces and even worn on the breastplates of soldiers’ armor to strike fear in the minds of enemies. The blocks were probably set on their side and upside-down by someone intending to make a statement about paganism being finished and Christianity being the new religion. Or, it may have been an attempt to break any magical effect of the Gorgon’s face.

The Peacock Column

The Peacock column is decorated with a peacock feather design, including the round “eyes” displayed on the feathers. The origin of this column is unknown, but it is the same as those that were used in the Forum of Theodosius, which is on the south side of Ordu Caddesi, 1.3 kilometers (.8 miles) west of the Basilica Cistern. The Forum of Theodosius today consists of a few peacock-patterned columns lying on the roadside and is not worth visiting.