TRAVEL
The Basilica Cistern
From a fairytale, but in the real world…
Hi there,
I lived in Istanbul for about 8 years. Basilica Cistern is one of my favorite historical buildings.
If you ever visit Istanbul, you should definitely visit there where is a fascinating place and its acoustics are magnificent.
It is located in the historical peninsula within walking distance of Eminönü. It is located southwest of Hagia Sophia.
It was built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. It got this name because there was a basilica in the place before.
This is a rectangular masterpiece with a length of 140 meters and a width of 70 meters.
It covers a total area of 9,800 square meters and has a water storage capacity of 23 965 285.46 US gallons of water (gal).
It is descended by a stone staircase with 52 steps in total.
Inside this cistern, there are 336 columns, each 9 m high. These columns were carved from various marbles.
This place met the water needs of the palace and the people around it during the Byzantine period.
It was used for a while when Istanbul fell into the hands of the Turks with the conquest of Istanbul in 1453. It was…
