Ten Things to Know When Visiting Istanbul’s Dazzling, Newly Renovated Basilica Cistern
Istanbul’s Basilica Cistern has reopened following a major renovation and engineering upgrade that began in 2017 and concluded in 2022.
The result is a must-see historical wonder and photogenic Instagram darling located in the heart of Istanbul’s Old Town, adjacent to the city’s crown jewels of the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.
This was my third time in Istanbul, but my first opportunity to see the Cisterns. I’d passed the previous times because, well, I was never too enthused about traipsing through some ancient Byzantine plumbing. How interesting could that possibly be? Plus, I’d heard the lines were long, the air stale and the visibility poor. Fortunately, these pre-renovation biases proved to be spectacularly wrong during my recent visit.
Gone in the Cistern are the narrow wooden walkways that could accommodate only a couple dozen visitors at a time in what was previously a dark, dank subterranean cavern. The Cistern complex can now handle a steady flow of tourists who can follow a wide, well-lighted, metal-mesh platform that zigs and zags through the Cistern’s maze of marble columns. Upgrades include a sophisticated lighting system that enhances the visitor experience. Spotlights bath columns in amber light. Blue lights give the water…
