Underground reservoir "basilica cistern". Following in the footsteps of Robert Langdon – visit Yerebatan barn in Istanbul

Basilica Cistern (Türkiye) - description, history, location. The exact address, phone, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

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Sometimes it seems that in the hot summer Istanbul there is not a single secluded place where you can escape from the scorching sun. But in fact, it is located right in the center of the Turkish metropolis - Sultanahmet district. This is the Basilica Cistern - a well-preserved ancient underground reservoir of Constantinople, located at a depth of 10-12 meters. In this huge cool room, you will not only be able to escape from the heat, but also learn a lot of interesting things.

The building was built on the site of the Basilica of St. Sophia. The cistern in Greek means "reservoir", which is why today the museum is called the Basilica Cistern.

To date, more than 40 cisterns have been found near Istanbul.

The Greeks began to build the Basilica Cistern under Emperor Constantine I (306-337), and finished only in 532, already under the reign of Emperor Justinian. Of course, such a large-scale construction was started for a reason - large stock drinking water in case of a drought or a siege of the city. It holds about 100 thousand tons of water.

By the way, the Basilica Cistern remotely resembles a palace, since it consists of 336 nine-meter columns. All columns are outwardly different, as they were brought from different ancient temples. On two columns are the marble heads of the Gorgon Medusa. Historians still cannot find out where these columns were brought from. In addition, scientists do not know exactly why one column is upside down, while the other is turned on its side. Perhaps this was done so that people would not be afraid of being petrified by accidentally looking into the eyes of the Gorgon. After all, this is exactly what could happen, according to myths. Ancient Greece.

Istanbul Basilica Cistern vaguely resembles a palace, as it consists of 336 columns. All columns are outwardly different, as they were brought from different ancient temples.

Water entered the cistern through aqueducts from the Belgrade Forest, located 19 km north of Istanbul, on the Black Sea coast. Interestingly, the Greeks took care of the safety of the cistern. Firstly, its walls are made of refractory bricks 4 meters thick. Secondly, they are covered with a special waterproofing solution. By the way, the reservoir was used for its intended purpose until the 16th century.

Then the cistern was abandoned, until the 80s of the 20th century it was forgotten. But in the end, the reservoir was nevertheless emptied and began to be cleaned. In 1987, during the restoration of the cistern, a huge amount of dirt was removed, the floor was concreted, wooden decks were made, on which travelers today walk. Now the tank is beautifully illuminated from the inside, and the water level in it is quite small - 40-50 cm.

It also has its own beliefs, which are very fond of tourists. For example, to fulfill your greatest desire, you need to go to the "Column of Tears", decorated with curls. Insert your finger into one of these patterns and rotate it 360 degrees. Well, then just wait for the fulfillment of a cherished dream.

In addition, the Wishing Pool is located nearby, where travelers from all over the world throw coins to make a wish.

Practical information

The Basilica Cistern is located at 13 Yerebatan Cad., Sultanahmet. Sultanahmet area, near the Hagia Sophia Museum next to the zero mile sign. The cost of the entrance ticket is 20 TRY.

Prices on the page are for July 2018.

The Basilica Cistern or, in Turkish, Yerebatan Sarnici Sarayi (“Underground Palace”, “Sunken Palace”) is beautiful place with a mysterious aura, the purpose of which is a reservoir for a large ancient metropolis, which was Constantinople in the 4th-6th centuries AD. I learned about this place by watching one of the travel shows. But even a professional TV report will not convey to you all the emotions that will arise when visiting the Cistern.

Basilica Cistern: how to find, opening hours, ticket price

If you are used to immediately finding sights and visiting the most interesting on a whim, this skill may not help, since it is not easy to find the Basilica Cistern at a glance. At least when we tried to do this, we had to participate in a mini-quest. First we went to the square on the corner between museum complex Hagia Sophia and Sultanahmet Park, then following the sign for Yerebatan Sarnici to the Mile Pillar (or rather, the remaining column from the structure above the Mile Pillar, on which the distances to the main cities of the Byzantine Empire were indicated), and then to the Cistern itself, or rather such an inconspicuous structure, acting as a ticket office and a passage down to the reservoir itself.

The Basilica Cistern is located in the center of Istanbul just above the Hagia Sophia Museum, if you walk from Sultanahmet Square.
The entrance to the Basilica Cistern is a simple one-story building. But during the tourist season, you can recognize it by the crowd of tourists.

The cost of visiting the Basilica Cistern is 20 Turkish lira per person and it is not included in any museum card, since it does not belong to the Turkish Ministry of Culture. You can visit the museum throughout the week, and its opening hours depend on the season: summer season from 9.00 to 18.30, and in winter - from 9.00 to 17.30. Be careful in the days public holidays Basilica Cistern can be closed to the public or open in the afternoon (fortunately for tourists, there are very few such days a year). There is a cafe downstairs in the cistern itself and you can buy souvenirs, but we were not very interested in this, since there were already enough amazing things around.

Basilica Cistern - interesting facts and events

A brief description of the history and structure of this unique building, which is located on the sign at the entrance to the cistern, cannot satisfy the interested traveler, so after searching for information, we found out several interesting facts associated with this reservoir:

- why the "cistern" is clear - a reservoir, and why the "basilica" - because on top of the square in the then Constantinople there was a square on which the city basilica was located - the commercial, legal center of the city;
- the volume of the reservoir is huge - up to 100 thousand tons of water, although now it is unlikely that there will be even half a meter of it. At first it was one of the main sources of water for the city center and the imperial palace, and then, during the time of the Turks, it was used to water the Topkapi gardens, until it was completely forgotten;
- columns in the cistern 336, they are marble, but they do not look alike, as they were brought from the city and religious buildings from all over the empire. It was a common practice - columns were also delivered for the Hagia Sophia. Several of them during restoration in the 60s. the last century had to be partially cemented due to the likelihood of collapse;
- Sculptural images of the head of the Gorgon Medusa were used as supports for two columns. If you have read the myths of Ancient Greece, then you know that it was possible to petrify from the look of a jellyfish. But it is unlikely that because of this her head was turned upside down and laid on its side. Most likely, these are just convenient bases for columns 😉
- according to the main purpose, the Basilica Cistern was used for quite a long time - from the 6th century. BC until the final conquest of Constantinople by the Turks by the Ottomans in the 15th century and the construction of a new city aqueduct;
- discovered in the 16th century. the cistern was succeeded by a Dutch traveler who noticed that the locals draw water in buckets directly from under the floors of their dwellings, sometimes taking out fish. Then, having dismantled the floors in one of the houses, a passage to the cistern was discovered. The scientist described it, moving inside on a boat. After that, its reconstruction was carried out;
- the main attention was paid to the Basilica Cistern in the late 80s. of the last century, when its large-scale reconstruction was carried out: about 50 thousand tons of dirt were removed, columns and vaults were restored, wooden flooring was laid over the entire area for ease of viewing, and beautiful lighting was made. Now in clean water flocks of plump carps swim, which, seeing people, immediately swim up in a flock in anticipation of food;
- The interior of the Basilica Cistern is often used by filmmakers, some of the most famous are an episode from the James Bond film series "From Russia with Love" and the film "Inferno" by Dan Brown.

As for our own experiences of visiting the Basilica Cistern, they are amazing. After the street heat of Istanbul during the day, we seemed to be in an oasis, cool and twilight. Subdued golden light - lighting for the columns, classical quiet music created an indescribable impression that you are in ancient temple, and beautifully dressed priestesses are about to pass by. Drops of water flow down the columns, some of them, according to legend, grant wishes. There are a lot of photos of this place on the Internet, but we could not resist and, imbued with the atmosphere, also decided to leave for ourselves its views in the photographs and in the video.

But if you think that you can understand from the photo what the Basilica Cistern is like, you are fundamentally wrong and deprive yourself of the pleasure of seeing this attraction live.

The Basilica Cistern is one of the most popular attractions in Istanbul, visited by every second tourist. The Yrebatan reservoir is one of the most unusual and interesting objects- unexpectedly quiet, dark, cool and mysterious, which is sure to leave an impression.

The most important columns in the cistern are decorated at the base with the heads of the Gorgon Medusa, which, in accordance with ancient Greek mythology, was a monster with a female face and snakes instead of hair.

Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan, Yerebatan sarnıcı) - the most popular reservoir in Istanbul

Basilica Cistern

Modern Istanbul, and in the past Constantinople, was a huge city of the past. Whoever was in power at that time always worried about the safety and impregnability of the city. For this, not only fortifications were built, but also reservoirs. There was a lack of water in Constantinople, so water had to be supplied by aqueducts, and in case of an attack, it was stored in reservoirs.

How many reservoirs or cisterns (that's how the reservoir sounds in Greek) in Istanbul is a question that will forever remain unanswered. Tanks are in the most unexpected places. And those that have already been discovered act in completely unexpected roles. For example, restaurants or other entertainment facilities are opened on their territory. Some have been honored to become museums, among them the most popular cistern - Yerebatan or Basilica. Others are less fortunate, they are in an abandoned state.

Story

Basilica Cistern

The Greeks began to build the Yerebatan Cistern in the 4th century on the very spot where the basilica of St. Sophia once flaunted, and construction continued until 532. This truly unique Istanbul attraction kept inside it almost inexhaustible flows of clean drinking water, the reserves of which the city needed in case of a drought or hostilities. The volumes of the reservoir are huge: once the Cistern held up to 100,000 tons of water and was the main source of life-giving moisture for the central part of the city and the Emperor himself. Later, when the Turkish padishah seized power, water was taken from the building to irrigate the Topkapi gardens with it.

Ancient architects and scientists did a great job to build a large-scale water pipeline from the Belgrade Forest to the Cistern, several kilometers long. The structure was filled with the help of the Valens aqueduct, and emptied through pipes made of baked clay built into the eastern wall. The reservoir was built in stages, and each of these stages represents, without exaggeration, a historical milestone for the city:

• the beginning of the 4th century - the start of construction work under the control of Emperor Constantine the First;
• 532 - the completion of the construction of the Cistern already under the reign of Justinian;
• 16th century - desolation and pollution of the Cistern;
• 1987 - the restoration of the landmark and the opening of the museum complex within its walls.

Basilica Cistern: columns

Of course, the cistern would have served well in every century, but when the Turks captured Constantinople, the reservoir was abandoned. Or rather, they didn’t find it, so the fact that there is such a thing under the buildings interesting building, while the Turks did not even guess.

The Turkish government learned about the existence of such an object in Istanbul only in 1553, when the Cistern was found by a French traveler. However, at that time, the authorities considered this information useless. Then the Basilica Cistern again reminded of itself in the 19th century, but even then it turned out to be useless. It was rediscovered in the 20th century. Now this discovery seemed interesting. Although at that time the Yerebatan Cistern was heavily polluted and did not look majestic, they still saw the potential in it and decided to give a huge area for a museum. Restoration work took long time. First, tons of dirt and debris had to be removed from the tank. After that, the floor was covered with a thick layer of concrete, and to make it more convenient for tourists to walk, wooden decks were built. Also, the Cistern was equipped with good lighting. There is water inside the reservoir today - it seeps out of the ground, but its height does not exceed 50 cm.

Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan sarnıcı): description and features

Ceiling and columns of the Basilica Cistern

The scale of the unique design is difficult to overestimate. The reservoir is deepened into the bowels of the earth by 10-12 meters. The Yerebatan Cistern is an underground structure 145 meters long and 65 meters wide. Its ceiling is supported by a colonnade of 12 rows - 28 columns each. That is, there are 336 of them in total. It is thanks to such a huge number of columns that when entering the room, it seems that you are in some kind of castle. Therefore, sometimes this place is called the Sunken Palace. A brick wall 4 meters thick was built along the perimeter of the structure, covered on the inside with a special waterproofing compound.

The height of the columns ranges from 9 to 13 meters, the distance between them is about 4 meters, but the decor of each of them is unique. They are decorated in different ways and consist of different materials. The fact is that the columns were brought here from the ancient ruined temples of Byzantium and even Asia Minor, and already on the spot they were adjusted to the structure.

The most popular pillars of the Yerebatan Cistern stand on the head of the Gorgon Medusa. One stands on a head turned upside down, and the other on a head that is laid on its side. There are several theories why the heads do not stand in the usual position. The first claims that the heads of the Gorgon Medusa are turned upside down so that she cannot amaze visitors with her gaze. The second claims that in this way the builders wanted to express disdain for the mythical character. The third, the most prosaic, argues that just in this position, the blocks with heads were better suited to serve as the base for the columns. Another famous column of the Sunken Palace of Istanbul is “crying” with tears. According to legend, she sheds these tears for the slaves who died during the construction of the reservoir.

The tank is still filled with water. Before the opening, the pool was polluted, but now it has been cleaned and even fish live in it, of which there are quite a lot in the museum. Apparently, they feel great here. In addition to ancient beauties and an unusual atmosphere, tourists come to this museum to look at various events. It often hosts music concerts or exhibitions. In such an old atmosphere, art is perceived better.

Shot from the movie "Inferno"

In addition, the Yerebatan Cistern managed to get into the frame of popular films several times. Filmmakers are very fond of and appreciate this landmark for its unique, original flavor. For example, one of the Bond films (“From Russia with Love”) was filmed here. And agent 007 sailed through the reservoir on a boat. Also in the Cistern were filming a movie masterpiece called "Inferno" by Dan Brown.

In some books, the Cistern also appears as one of the main scenes. Well, the place is really unusual, and therefore deserves attention. Each of its features is unique and perfect. The Basilica Cistern is a cultural and historical monument not only for Istanbul, but for the whole of Turkey. Travelers from all over the world come here to enjoy the beauty of the "Column of Tears" with drops of water sadly flowing down it, to look into the stone eyes of the terrible Gorgon Medusa, and then by all means throw a coin into the local "Fountain of Desires" to someday come back here again !

Basilica Cistern: how to get there, opening hours and cost of visiting in 2019

Sign at the entrance to the Basilica Cistern, with information that in 1987 the cistern was restored

The Basilica Cistern is located in historic district Sultanahmet. Finding it is quite easy (there are signs in the area in which direction to go).

You can get to the Cistern by light rail, reaching the Sultanahmet stop.

You can schedule a visit to several historical sites in Sultanahmet on the same day, because. it will not take you more than 1 hour to visit the Cistern.

Working hours:

• weekdays and weekends from 09:00 to 17:30
• in the days official holidays– from 13:00 to 17:30

The entrance fee is 20 Turkish lira (the museum card is not valid).

Basilica Cistern on the map

Today we will discuss one of the most mysterious sights of Turkey - the Basilica Cistern. Few people know what it is, but those who visited this place were impressed. Most of all, attention should be paid to the architecture of the building and its history. Let's go through the dark corridors and find out why it is worth visiting here.

What is it about?

The Basilica Cistern is an ancient reservoir in Istanbul. It is one of the largest buildings of this type that have survived to our time from ancient times. Initially underground cave was the reservoir of Constantinople. It is noticed that the building has some common features with palace apartments.

Name

For many, the name of this place remains a mystery. Even those who have visited Turkey will not always be able to answer correctly. And the thing is that in the Greek language the word "cistern" means "reservoir". In Turkey, this building is called Yerebatan Saray, which means palace. We will talk about it below, but inside the cistern is really like a palace.

How was the vast underworld discovered?

The Basilica Cistern, which has a long history, was completely unknown for a long time. Western world. However, one day a traveler from Holland, Gylius, discovered a huge structure underground. It happened in the period of 1545-1550 during the wanderings around Istanbul. The purpose of the traveler's visit was to study the remains of Byzantine buildings that survived after the conquest of the city by the Turks. Wandering around the Hagia Sophia mosque, the researcher noticed that some people draw water from some wells and even fish in them. This surprised him very much and he decided to check the territory. This is how the Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan) was discovered. In 1721, Johann Fischer von Erlach created an engraving that revealed a detailed plan of the building with incredible accuracy.

Cisterns of Istanbul

Interestingly, more than 40 similar buildings of various sizes and decorations were found in the city. However, the reservoir we are talking about is the largest and most ancient.

During the time of Constantinople, it had no particular historical value, since it was built for purely practical purposes. A large supply of drinking water was stored here in case an unexpected siege of the city occurred or an unbearable prolonged drought began. Water was supplied to the reservoir through aqueducts and aqueducts. It is believed that the largest aqueduct of Constantinople - Valens - also delivered water to the Basilica Cistern (Istanbul). The source was groundwater in the Belgrade forest, which was north of the city, only 19 km. During quiet times, the water from the reservoir flowed into Imperial Palace and other structures of the ruler's assistants. After the city was conquered by the Ottoman ruler, the cistern was used for some time for irrigation in the Topkapı Palace. Water left, if necessary, through burnt pipes made of clay, which were built on different levels in the east wall.

Location

The Basilica Cistern is located in the heart of Turkey - in Istanbul. Moreover, the reservoir is located not only in the center of Turkey, but also in historical center Istanbul. In the Sultanahmet area, not far from the Hagia Sophia, every tourist can find this amazing ancient place.

Start of construction

The Basilica Cistern is an underground reservoir that the Greeks began to build back in the time of Emperor Constantine I, that is, in the period 306-337. It is known that the final completion of construction took place in 532, when Emperor Justinian was in power. At this point, the reservoir already contained 100 thousand tons of water. Some scientists believe that more than 7 thousand slaves took part in the construction. They regularly died from hard work, lack of rest and malnutrition, so they had to replenish the ranks of the workforce.

Appearance

Outwardly, this building looks like a palace due to the fact that it has many columns. Outside, it is very difficult to guess that such beauty is located underground, at a great depth. Tourists at the entrance see only a small rectangular building - this is the entrance to the reservoir. However, only after going down the stairs, you can find a huge water cave.

After carrying out restoration and restoration work, the authorities thought about creating a beautiful entrance to the cistern, but no one started to implement this idea. This is the fate of other reservoirs in Istanbul - they were simply restored and turned into a museum. But this is not the worst fate, since some tanks have remained abandoned.

The interior of the building

The dimensions of the tank are 145x65 m, and its capacity is 80,000 m 3 of water. The vaulted ceiling rests on columns. Only 12 rows of 28 columns each. Eight-meter columns are located at a distance of almost 5 m from each other. The walls surrounding the 336 columns are made of refractory bricks coated with a special liquid to protect against moisture. This suggests that the Greeks paid great attention not only to the scale of construction, but also to its quality. Until the 16th century, the reservoir was used for its intended purpose.

Incredibly, the cistern is located at a depth of 10-12 meters. In summer it is cool and cozy here. That is why in the hot season, experienced tourists go to the center of Istanbul in order to plunge into the coolness and atmosphere of antiquity.

It is known that the cistern was built on the site where the basilica of St. Sophia was located even earlier. For the construction of the reservoir, the columns were brought from various ancient temples, which were already on the verge of destruction. That is why the observant visitor will notice that they differ not only in the type of marble, but even in the type of processing. Some columns consist of several parts, others are a single piece. Two columns are decorated with the head of the Gorgon Medusa. However, one of them is turned to the side, and the other is turned head down. Most likely, this is done so that the incoming person is not afraid to turn into stone, looking into the eyes of the monster. However, a more rational version claims that the arrangement of the columns upside down provided the greatest stability. Researchers have not yet been able to find out for sure where the columns for construction were brought from. However, there are similar Archaeological Museum capital Cities. By the way, the "Pool of desires" is located nearby.

present tense

It is known that the Basilica Cistern, whose dimensions are truly impressive, was an important strategic structure for the Greeks. Before the Turks captured the city, the cistern was regularly and actively used. However, after the enemy capture, the reservoir was abandoned. Over time, it became heavily polluted and practically beyond repair, but the authorities carried out the necessary cleaning work. Wooden flooring was laid, the floor was concreted. Needless to say, how much dirt had to be removed so that the place abandoned for years began to resemble a reservoir. It took a lot of time and money, but it was worth it. As a result, in 1987 a museum was opened here.

Basilica Cistern in culture

Few people know that it was here that one of the most popular films dedicated to the adventures of James Bond "From Russia with Love" was filmed. At a later time, and specifically in 2009, an equally interesting and action-packed picture called "International" was filmed here. It was in these ancient walls that some episodes from the mini-series "Odyssey" (A. Konchalovsky) were filmed.

In the famous game Assassin's Creed: Revelations, the protagonist Ezio Auditore de Firenze had to complete a task in the Basilica Cistern (Istanbul). He found the entrance to the building in a small bookshop. I wonder if such a secret passage really exists?

In the book of the popular and talented writer Dan Brown, the ancient reservoir is central location actions.

What do tourists believe?

Among tourists and even among local residents there are retellings of rituals that can grant wishes. No one knows for sure if this is true, but everyone wants to try their luck. A person wants a lot of things, and the main problem for him is the fulfillment of this desire. So, it is believed that in order for the plan to become a reality, it is necessary to find the “Column of Tears” in the building (this is not at all difficult, if you have any difficulties, you can ask the locals). A characteristic feature of the column is that it is decorated with curls of different sizes. In one of them, the person who wants to stick his finger and turn it 360 degrees. It is said that this is where the magic happens. All you need to do next is to wait for the fulfillment of desire. However, it doesn't hurt to do something to help it come true faster. In the "Pool of Desires", which we mentioned above, you can throw a coin in memory or in order to return to this place again.

Also, many advise visiting this place in the morning. Firstly, with fewer people, you can better appreciate its beauty. After all, it is quite large, and when there are hundreds of people, it is not so easy to relax, consider the details and feel the atmosphere. Secondly, in the morning the energy of the building is clean, that is, open to your thoughts and desires. That is why, in order to fulfill a wish at the Column of Tears, it is better to go here in the morning. Thirdly, do not forget that this is a reservoir and there is high humidity, stale air. Not only to relax, even to breathe normally in such a place will be difficult if there are a lot of people around you.

What where When?

In order to find the Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan), you need to go to Turkey and find the Sultanahmet area. Then you should look for the Hagia Sophia Museum, which is located near the zero mile sign. Opposite the building, a reservoir will be located. The official address looks like this: 13 Yerebatan Cad., Sultanahmet. From the airport. Ataturk to the reservoir can be reached public transport. It is most reasonable to take the metro (red line) and get off at Zeytinburnu station. Then you need to take the T1 tram, which follows through the city center.

However, tourists should be careful, because the outside of the building does not attract special attention. The Basilica Cistern has the following opening hours: every day from 9 am to 5:30 pm in autumn, and from 9 am to 6:30 pm in summer time of the year. In 2017, the cost of visiting the historical site is 20 lira. The Basilica Cistern (Istanbul) has not changed its opening hours for several years, so you can be sure that the information is up to date.

Truth and fiction

There are some myths about the Basilica Cistern, the photo of which is in the article. Experienced tourists know how to distinguish truth from fiction, but what about beginners? There were rumors that the water in the reservoir was chest-deep. After that, those who wish to visit this place will immediately think about a number of questions. However, in reality, the water here barely reaches the knees. This height of water is only in some areas that can be bypassed if desired. A similar myth (about the height of water up to the chest) became especially popular after the release of Dan Brown's book Inferno. Wanting to embellish his story, the author himself came up with some facts, and impressionable readers believed this.

It is true that fish are still swimming in the reservoir. They do exist, but there aren't many of them.

Basilica Cistern in Istanbul - unique historical place. This is a beautiful deep reservoir, which impresses primarily with its scale. A pleasant surprise will be the illumination of the water. Huge carved columns, quiet murmur of water and mystical reflections make this place special and mysterious. If you are in Turkey, be sure to go down to this underworld that captivates at first sight.

none tourist trip Istanbul is not complete without visiting the most famous sights.

And the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul is one of those historical monuments who are living witnesses of history and are included in any excursion program across Istanbul.

In contact with

Basilicas originate in ancient times when the city experienced certain difficulties with fresh water. In case of a long siege or a dry year fresh water was preserved in underground storages (the word "cistern" in Greek sounds like "reservoir"), of which as many as 40 were found under modern Istanbul!

The Turks themselves have nothing to do with construction, since it was founded in 306 under Emperor Constantine the First. The cistern remained in operation until the 16th century, after which it gradually became abandoned. Already at the end of the 20th century, or rather, in 1987, the Istanbul authorities restored the building and opened it to the public.

The second name is Yerebatan Saray, which means “underground palace” in Turkish. By the way, the outside of the building is relatively small, but this external impression is very deceptive. The reservoir itself is located deep underground, at a depth of 10-11 meters.

proves the reverent attitude of the Turks to their history and outstanding personalities.

The Archaeological Museum of Istanbul keeps a huge number of unique exhibits. Do you want to know which ones? Then you are here.

To support the powerful vaulted ceiling, 12 rows of columns were built (each row consists of 28 columns). The structure is 145 meters long and 65 meters wide, the structure can simultaneously hold about 100 tons of water. The ceiling is lined with burnt tiles so that underground water does not seep in, and the 4-meter-thick walls are impregnated with a special waterproof solution.

The water level today is a little over half a meter. When the Istanbul authorities decided to restore the attraction, many tons of dirt and debris were raised to the surface, which had been accumulating for centuries. By the way, today in clean groundwater flocks of fish are found (you can feed them by buying a bag of bread crumbs or special food at the entrance).

At the entrance, visitors are met by a museum employee who invites you to take a picture in the Sultan's costume, so to speak, to immerse yourself in the historical atmosphere. The cost of such a picture is 10 Turkish lira. There is also a souvenir kiosk and a kiosk where you can take an audio guide (including in Russian). True, you will have to leave a small deposit for the audio guide - a passport or a sum of money.

A series of steps leading down leads to the Cistern itself. Once inside, you immediately understand that this place is special: water, columns going up and subdued lighting create the impression of mystery and complicity in history.

For the passage of tourists inside the building, special wooden walkways were built. These bridges are so long that it seems as if they lead far into the depths of the Cistern. This impression is deceptive and it is simply impossible to get lost: the walkways are laid out in such a way that they lead to the exit, not far from the place where the entrance is located.

Walk along these narrow paths with great care - sometimes water drips from above, which causes small puddles on the floor and it is very easy to slip. In some places, special covers are stretched over the walkways to collect water, but they do not save either.

Some of the columns that support the ceiling vaults are decorated with the heads of the Gorgon Medusa (a creature from ancient Greek myths: a female head with snakes instead of hair). There is a certain oddity in the arrangement of these two columns: one of them is turned upside down so that the head of the Gorgon is at the base of the column, and the second head is turned to one side.

It is likely that this was done on purpose so that people would not be afraid of the head of the Gorgon. After all, according to ancient Greek myths, any person, even accidentally looking into the eyes of Medusa Gorgon, turned into stone. Don't be afraid to miss these local sights: they'll be found where there are the most camera flashes.

At the very exit you can see a small cafe and a number of souvenir stalls. The cafe brews wonderful and aromatic coffee, although the prices here are quite high. Like any other historical landmark, the Basilica has its own legend and signs.

If one of the visitors wants the most cherished desire to come true, you need to find a column decorated with curls (for some reason it is called a “column of tears”). You need to insert a finger into one of these patterns and turn it 360 degrees (that is, draw it all over the curl), while making a wish.

Not far from the "column of tears" is the so-called "Pool of desires", where you need to throw a small coin to make the wish come true. By the way, the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul has excellent acoustics, and for this reason concerts of live classical music are held here several times a year. At such concerts, the people gather no less than to see the sights themselves.

Today, due to the many closely spaced construction sites, as well as ground vibrations caused by trams passing nearby, there is a threat of destruction of the Cistern. So now before local authorities there is an important task: how to keep intact one of the greatest sights of Istanbul.

Below are tourist photos Basilica Cisterns in Istanbul that will convince you to visit this amazing attraction.

Opening hours, ticket prices

• The Basilica is open to the public daily, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.. Ticket offices close half an hour before closing - at 18.30.
• A ticket for an adult visitor costs 10 Turkish liras, for children and students - 7 Turkish liras. Children under 10 years old can enter for free. By the way, payment is accepted only in Turkish Lira: neither dollars, nor euros, nor bank card You can't pay for tickets.

• The best time to visit is in the morning or close to closing time. when those wishing to inspect the Cistern (especially organized groups tourists) not so much. It should be borne in mind that the room has rather narrow passages and bridges, as well as stale moist air - therefore, with a large crowd of people, it may not be very comfortable there.
• Photography is allowed, but due to poor lighting and backlighting, pictures may turn out to be of poor quality. Even with professional photographic equipment, it is quite difficult to choose the right angle.

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