Under the streets of Sultenahmet is one of Istanbul’s jaw dropping historic sights: the Basilica Cistern. A cavernous subterranean architectural wonder, propped up by more than 300 ancient columns, it’s one of Istanbul’s most interesting things to do.
In this blog I’ll share my experiences of visiting the Cistern, explain why it’s worth visiting, and everything else you need to know to plan a trip.
What’s in this blog:
What is the Basilica Cistern?
Despite being surrounded by water on all sides, Istanbul lacked resources to drinking water. Huge, impressive water systems were built to get the city the water it needed (for example the Aquaduct of Valens, still visible over a stretch of highway elsewhere in the city). These water systems included cisterns – there are many ancient cisterns underneath modern Istanbul.
The cathedral-like Basilica Cistern is the biggest, commissioned in 532 by Emperor Justinian I in the heydays of the Byzantine Empire, following the Nika Riots. According to ancient texts, around 7,000 slaves were used in the construction of the cistern, many of which died.
It provided water to the Great Palace of Constantinople, and other buildings in the area – but eventually was forgotten by the authorities (many locals hadn’t forgotten, and still drew water from it). It was rediscovered by a French traveller called Petrus Gyllius in 1565, who was intrigued by stories of residents getting water by simply lowering buckets into holes in their basements – and sometimes even catching fish this way.
Is the Basilica Cistern worth visiting?
The Basilica Cistern is definitely worth visiting if you’re in Istanbul. It’s close to many of the other major sights, such as Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace, and it’s quite unique compared to these other major sights. It was definitely one of my highlights in Istanbul.
Around 1,500 years old, it’s one of the oldest surviving structures in the city, and an unbelievable feat of ancient architecture. Propped up by more than 300 columns, modern lighting illuminating the ghostly water, and with occasional drops of water from overhead, it’s an extremely atmospheric place to walk around – one of those rare places where you can still feel its ancient significance. It’s also known as the Sunken Palace – a fitting name for this jaw-droppingly large underground marvel.
On hot days, it’s also a much-needed respite from the Istanbul sun: down in the Cistern, it’s refreshingly cool. The one downside of the Basilica Cistern is the price, which has gone up in recent times and is a quite steep 800 Turkish Lira for international tourists (1300TL at night), as of June 2024.
Top things to see in the Basilica Cistern
As you walk down the steps into the Cistern, you’re greeted with an astonishing view of this ancient structure. Immediately I was struck by its size – and how well maintained it is after more than a millennia of war and natural disasters.
Many of the columns used to build the Cistern were taken from fallen pagan temples across the Roman empire – including Ionic and Corinthian structures. This means that many of the columns look different to each other. If you look carefully, you can often see different words and scripts etched into them.
Down the stairs you can use raised boardwalks to explore the cistern. It’s a slightly eerie walk, with the lighting changing as you move around to add to the atmosphere. There are a few particularly interesting sights to look out for.
The Medusa Heads
In the far corner of the Cistern from the entrance, you’ll find two huge stone heads of Medusa. Medusa was an important figure in ancient Greek mythology – the most beautiful of the three gorgon sisters who was turned into a monster with snakes for hair by the goddess Athena. Anyone who looked at her would turn to stone.
These two massive stone heads are shrouded in mystery – both in terms of where they came from, and why they’re positioned in such an unusual way (one is upside down, the other on its side). Some believe these were originally part of a Roman temple dedicated to Medusa – but it’s also possible they were built especially for the Cistern. They show how Greek mythology endured its popularity during Byzantine times and they’re one of the most awesome sights in the Cistern.
Nearby is also this modern statue, casting a creepy shadow of Medusa onto the Cistern’s walls.
The Peacock-eyed Column
Most of the columns in the Cistern are different to each other – but still, this one stands out as especially unique. It’s also known as the Weeping Column, carved with eyes that appear to be crying. The Cistern was built using the toil of around 7,000 slaves, many of which died. This column is said to be a tribute to them.
Modern sculptures
As well as being an ancient masterpiece, each column an example of fine craftsmanship from years gone by, the Basilica Cistern is now used to house modern pieces of art by Turkish artists. These include a number of figures by Ozan Ãœnal, pictured below which only add to the slight creepiness of the Cistern. I felt these contemporary works gave my visit to the Cistern a new dimension, creating an interesting blend of contemporary art in an ancient setting.
How to visit the Basilica Cistern?
The Basilica Cistern is easy to visit if you’re in Sultanahmet, just a few minutes walk from the main sights of the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. It’s open from 9am-6.30pm, and again from 7.30pm-11.50pm. But be warned, if you opt for the later hours it’s significantly more expensive (1,300TL compared to 800TL in the daytime, as of June 2024).
You can buy tickets in advance from a number of third party websites, which get you skip the line access. But these are more expensive, and as they’re provided by third parties, I’d advise reading the reviews and exercising a bit of caution. Most people get tickets at the ticket office on site. Although the queue was reasonably long when I visited, it moved extremely fast and so I think this is the best option. If you arrive early in the day, queues are shorter.
How long to spend at the Basilica Cistern?
The Basilica Cistern doesn’t take too long to walk around. You could probably do it in 15-20 minutes, but half an hour to an hour is best to give yourself time to explore its interiors, marvel at the architecture and ancient columns, and experience its atmosphere.
Thanks for visiting my blog! This post may contain affiliate links - which means if you make a purchase, I'll receive a small commission, at no extra cost to yourself. This helps me keep this site running for free.
Pingback: Ghosts of history in Istanbul’s Hippodrome: Ancient relics, riots and sporting rivalries – What's down that street?
Pingback: The Beauty of the Blue Mosque: History, Architecture, and Visit Tips – What's down that street?
Pingback: Discovering Istanbul: 4-Day Itinerary & Must-See Attractions – What's down that street?