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Tour of the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul Turkey

One place we loved visiting in Istanbul was the Basilica Cistern. If you visited Istanbul and never heard of it, you might easily miss this attraction as there's no obvious sign above ground. When we arrived the line wasn't long and while the entrance fee was a bit expensive we found it to be worth it. However, they do charge extra fees for use of a tripod.

It was a short walk down to the underground cistern. It was cool, dark and damp. The lights we're strategically placed to highlight the ionic and corinthian columns. Soothing, yet eery music played in the background. It felt like the entrance to the underworld, yet instead of being scary it was beautiful and peaceful. What captured my attention the most were the hundreds of fishes swimming in the water.

The Basilica Cistern was the largest of several hundreds cistern beneath Istanbul. Its origin can be traced during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian around the 6th century. This underground structure provided a water filtration system for the for the Great Palace of Constantinopole in past and the Topkapi Palace up to modern times.

The Basilica cistern was an underground chamber capable of storing 100,000 tons of water. However today, only a few feet of water remain. The ceiling was supported by 336 marble columns. In one of the columns you will find an engraved pictures of a Hen's Eys, slanted branches, and tears which paid tribute to the hundreds of slaves that died during the construction of the Basilica Cistern.

The biggest highlight of the cistern were the bases of two columns with the face of Medusa. You will notice the heads placed sideways and inverted which is thought to negate the power of her gaze.

One thing is for sure, this is a must see when in Istanbul especially during a hot summer day.

Music courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (www.smartsound.com/royalty-free-music/incompetech)

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