Basilica Cistern

Istanbul Province · Turkey

Basilica Cistern, Turkey
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Good to know

Best time to go
Year-round
Budget
$
Accessibility
limited
Coordinates
Open in maps

This vast underground water reservoir was built in the 6th century beneath the heart of old Istanbul. Rows of illuminated columns rise from shallow water, including two famously reused Medusa-head bases at the far end.

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Sources