5 Essential Istanbul Experiences – 2

This extract is from ‘Travel Tales from Exotic Places like Salford’

The Basilica Cistern is the most impressive piece of engineering in the city. Located in Sultanahmet, close to Haghia Sofia and the Topkapi Palace, this place is not quite as popular as the aforementioned attractions, so make the most of it. It’s like visiting a cathedral underground. The atmospheric orange lighting gives the place a reverential feel
though the dripping water can lend an eerie overtone on occasions. Carp swim in the waters by the wooden walkways. The Cistern’s most famous features are the two
Medusa heads that support columns – a popular and well signposted attraction.
The Basilica Cistern was built in 532AD by the Emperor Justinian to provide water for the Great Palace. This palace was built by Constantine the Great in 324AD and covered most of the area of Sultanahmet. The capacity of the cistern is approximately 80,000 cubic metres, all of which was brought in via aqueduct from the Belgrade Forest. The cistern gets its name because it was built directly under the Stoa Basilica, a square that has long since disappeared under buildings.
It’s hard to believe that such a large underground cavern could be forgotten about, but that’s what happened after the cistern was closed some time before the Conquest. Then in
the mid-1500s reports began to reach the authorities of people pulling buckets of water out of holes in their basements, some even containing fish. The cistern was rediscovered and was eventually opened to the public in 1987.