The story of the Basilica Cistern
The history of the Basilica Cistern
The Basilica Cistern is an excellent example of the city’s historical underground construction. Located next to Hagia Sophia, the structure known as the “Basilica Cistern” was commissioned to meet the city’s water needs by Justinian I, who reigned as the Eastern Roman Emperor from 527 to 565. The cistern was below a complex of buildings that included a stoa basilica, a walkway with a roof supported by one or more columns. The Basilica Cistern itself featured columns that appeared to rise from the water inside, giving it a majestic aspect. Thus the structure was sometimes called the Yerebatan Sarayı (Sunken Palace).
The Basilica Cistern in numbers
- 80,000 tons of water storage capacity
- 10,000 square meters
- 140 meters long
- 70 meters wide
- 12 rows with 28 columns each (336 columns in total)
- 2 Medusa heads
- 52-step staircase
The vast water system within the Basilica Cistern
According to written sources, the cistern provided the city with water for hundreds of years, replenished by waterways and rainwater. This water was distributed to the Great Palace, where the emperors resided, and the buildings surrounding it; the cistern was the city’s largest at the time, capable of storing 80,000 tons of water. No discussion of the Basilica Cistern is complete without mentioning its enormous water system and storage capacity but another distinguishing feature of the cistern was that it contained more reused structural elements than other closed cisterns. Its utility was long-lasting; during the Roman Empire, water was supplied to the Basilica Cistern via the Hadrianus Transmission Line, a historical waterway.
After the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, the Basilica Cistern was initially used solely by Topkapı Palace but later expanded to serve the local community. In fact, thanks to Petrus Gyllius, who came to investigate the city in the 16th century, we know that the Ottomans deployed buckets to draw water from the wells that led to the cistern.
The Restoration of the Basilica Cistern
After centuries of use, the Basilica Cistern required repairs; its first major restoration dates to the Ottoman Empire when architect Kayserili Mehmet Ağa conducted renovation works during the reign of Ahmet III. The structure again underwent repairs during Abdülhamid II’s reign and in subsequent years.
Between 1985 and 1987, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality undertook a comprehensive restoration — the work resulted in the discovery of two blocks bearing reliefs of Medusa’s head, an image that has become the Basilica’s most prominent symbol. Following the Municipality’s restoration, the site was opened in 1987 as a museum. Today, this intriguing structure is top-ranked on lists of places to visit in Istanbul.
Architecture of the Basilica Cistern
The Basilica Cistern is a massive underground structure in the shape of a rectangle; it has storage capacity of 80,000 tons, is 140 meters long and 70 meters wide, and covers an area of approximately 10,000 square meters. The stone staircase descending into the cistern has 52 steps. Among the cistern’s most striking features are its 336 marble columns, each of which is nine meters tall.
Most of these marble columns are cylindrical and spaced 4.80 meters apart, with 12 rows and 28 columns — visitors entering the cistern are immediately presented with the full splendor of these massive, towering columns. Because the acoustics of the Basilica Cistern are so outstanding, numerous musical performances are held in the structure.
Medusa heads: The mystery of the Basilica Cistern
The Medusa heads in the Basilica Cistern are another famous attraction. Considered priceless cultural artifacts from the Roman era, these relief blocks featuring the head of Medusa are rare artifacts uncovered by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality in the course of the structure’s restoration works; to the west of the structure are the inverted heads of Medusa that served as the bases of the columns, and to the east is the horizontal one.
The beauty of the reliefs, along with the Medusa legend, are why the blocks are so memorable. Medusa was one of the Gorgons, three ghastly sisters of Greek mythology who had snakes for hair. According to legend, gazing upon the countenance of a Gorgon would cause the observer to be turned into stone. In an alternate version of the story, Medusa was a young woman who boasted about her stunning figure, long hair and black eyes. She was enamored with Perseus, son of Zeus, but Athena, envious of her beauty, transformed her hair into serpents. Believing that Medusa was under a spell, Perseus beheaded her and carried the severed head into battle. Fear gripped those who saw Medusa’s head, and Perseus emerged victorious in every conflict. These tales provide a new perspective to the visit of the Medusa heads.
The Basilica Cistern Museum visitor information
Where is the Basilica Cistern?
The Basilica Cistern is in Sultanahmet, Istanbul, in the Fatih district on the Historical Peninsula.
Basilica Cistern visiting hours
The Basilica Cistern is open daily from 09:00 to 23:50. However, it is closed to visitors from 18.30 to 19.30 due to session arrangements.
Basilica Cistern entrance fee
Admission fees vary for students and adults, as well as local and foreign visitors. Additionally, there are different entrance fees between 09.00-18.30 and between 19.30-23.50. Please visit the museum’s official website to learn about the current fees.
You can buy tickets for visits between 09.00 and 18.30 at the box office or online through Passo. For visits between 19.30 and 23.50, tickets can be purchased only at the Basilica Cistern box office, beginning at 19.30. Payments can be made with cash or with credit cards; foreign currency is not accepted.
Who can visit the Basilica Cistern for free?
Turkish citizens over 65 years of age and all visitors under the age of 7, veterans, veteran’s and martyr’s first-degree relatives, and holders of the Disability Card can visit the museum free of charge between 09.00-18.30 upon presentation of their ID card. In addition, visitors with physical and visual disabilities, children with disabilities, visitors with a disability rate of 70% and above, and those with a companion ID can also visit the museum free of charge between 09.00-18.30.
Is MuseumPass valid at Basilica Cistern?
No, the MuseumPass is not valid for Basilica Cistern visits.
What about the Night Shift events?
The Basilica Cistern is also one of Istanbul’s most important event venues, hosting concerts. On certain days of the week, surprise concerts are held here as part of the Night Shift events, between 19.30 and 22.00. The building’s fantastic atmosphere and excellent acoustics provide an ideal environment for performances with a historical backdrop. Updates on the concerts and other events are provided by the museum’s official channels.
Historical sites near Basilica Cistern
After visiting the Basilica Cistern, you can take a coffee or snack break and continue your historical Istanbul tour. There are numerous interesting sites nearby, including the Şerefiye Cistern, one of the oldest water structures in the Historic Peninsula; the world-renowned Hagia Sophia; and Gülhane Park, the precious garden of Topkapı Palace. Listen to the Historical Peninsula!
