A guide to the basilica cistern in istanbul property turkey. Basilica cistern with images istanbul, turkey travel. Sep 30, 2008 am glad you featured the basilica cistern as part of your istanbul visit. Do the full walk around of the cistern to see the medusa columns. The water was transported from the belgrade forest by the immense byzantine aqueducts valens aqueducts. Turkey launches covid19 free certification to promote tourism. The basilica cistern is also called the sunken cistern, and it is found in istanbul, turkey. According to a statistical report entailing international tourists, the basilica cistern is the third most visited site in turkey. Books are post free to subscribers anywhere in the world. Project muse byzantine monuments of istanbul by john freely. The incredible basilica cistern of istanbul when istanbul was constantinople during the period of the great roman, and later byzantium empire, hundreds of subterranean cisterns were built underneath the streets and houses to store water. The pictures that are taken for different angles are later combined using a computer to form a full. The basilica cistern is the largest of the ancient cisterns in istanbul and was built in the sixth.
When you want to escape the dust and the chaos and noise of istanbul or the summer heat go to the basilica cistern. The cistern was constructed in the sixth century when the byzantine emperor justinian i ruled. It employs archaeological and archival data, hagiographic and historical sources, liturgical texts and commentaries, and monastic typika and. The basilica cistern is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that still lie beneath the city of istanbul, former constantinople, turkey. Basilica cistern istanbul, turkey location, facts, history. The basilica cistern is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns under the city of istanbul formerly constantinople, turkey. The museum pass is valid for 120 hours 5 days, which start counting after you use it for the first time. Guided museums pass is an option, built by the istanbul tourist pass team, as a response to huge demand for a product that includes skip the line admission, only to top museums with the comfort of a live guide in english. All you have to do is select the type of places youd like to include restaurants, museums, etc. Istanbul basilica cistern, a suggestive journey beneath the. This is the story of the byzantine monuments of istanbul, the city known in the medieval period as constantinople and in classical antiquity as byzantium.
Oct 01, 20 basilica cistern was not on the itinerary for the day tour we booked. Eye catching is a site specific work that responds to the medusa heads in the yerebatan cistern. Hidden beneath the streets of istanbul is the hauntingly beautiful basilica cistern, a 6thcentury relic. A wonder unto itself basilica cistern, istanbul traveller. Apr 27, 2018 after the basilica cistern and cistern of philoxenos, the theodosius cistern has been added to the list. The basilica cistern, also known as the sunken palace or yerebatan sarayi in turkish, was constructed by justinian in 532 to supply water to the byzantine palace primarily. Jan 14, 2016 the basilica cistern the largest surviving cistern in istanbul was thus rediscovered and back on the map. Istanbuls mysterious basilica cistern videos viking cruises. Basilica cistern provided water storage during roman times in istanbul, turkey, then known as constantinople posted on january 10, 2014 by barbara weibel 8 comments.
Pdf the use of water cisterns has been traced back to the neolithic age. A friend of ours had warned us not to miss the cistern, and she was absolutely right. Just drag the mouse to the direction you want to look. This amazing ancient water tank is impressive not just because of its planning, engineering and implementation, but also because it has lasted some 1,500 years. He graduated from kuleli military high school in istanbul, earned a degree in english philology at the university of istanbul in 1985, became an army officer, and taught english as a second language for a while. Nicknamed yerebatan sarayi, or the sunken palace in turkish, it is known in english as the basilica cistern because of its location on the site of an ancient basilica. Sophia church ayasofya museum in istanbul by serif yenen. The cistern, located 500 feet 150 m southwest of the hagia sophia on the historical p mar 22, 2016 the basilica cistern turkish. Istanbuls mysterious basilica cistern videos viking. Basilica cistern, istanbul pdf basilica cistern is the largest underground ancient cistern in istanbul, turkey the cavernous depths of the basilica cistern aka yerebatan saray. Step into its shadowy depths with karine to explore its many secrets.
Cakmak, byzantine monuments of istanbul cambridge and new york. Top 10 istanbul hotels near turkish and islamic art museum. The basilica cistern was built in the 6th century during the reign of byzantine emperor justinian to serve as water storage for his own palace and other buildings around it. Shooting equipment was nikon d80 digital camera, 10.
Frankincense, the fourth of the lymond chronicles books by dorothy dunnett. Mentioning that it can be observed when historical works are seen that istanbul played host to such a big civilization, uysal continued, istanbul became the capital, hosting three different civilizations. It is the largest covered cistern in istanbul, dating back to the roman times. The cistern is located at the sultanahmet square, when you are about to reach the sultanahmet square on the right bank you will see the basilica cistern. An historian will find this book problematic, but that does not necessarily make it a bad book. It is situated on the historical sarayburnu peninsula. Constantinople was the capital of the byzantine empire from 330 until 1453, and was renowned. With its imposing columns, grand scale and mysterious ambience, this subterranean site seems like a flooded palace, but it is in fact a former water storage chamber. As water of black sea and marmara sea is not appropriate for drinking, it was a. The cistern, located 500 feet 150 m southwest of the hagia sophia on the historical p. Theodosius cistern, a witness to istanbuls long history. The basilica cistern is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of istanbul, turkey. Istanbul deluxe card for tourists istanbul welcome card. Find highquality basilica cistern stock photos and editorial news pictures from getty images.
Sunken cistern, is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of istanbul formerly constantinople, turkey. The basilica cistern is the largest of the ancient cisterns in istanbul and was built in the sixth century. Books byzantine monuments of istanbul cornucopia magazine. The basilica cistern, or cisterna basilica is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of istanbul, turkey. Such calmness and awe prevailed when we gingerly took the slippery steps down into the cistern, after hectic visits to the latter. Like most sites in istanbul, the cistern has an unusual history. Constantinople was the capital of the byzantine empire from 330 until 1453, and was renowned for the beauty and grandeur of its churches and palaces. However, we went about 9am and there was a very short queue. Basilica cistern or better known as yerebatan sarayi is a very authentic place and a must see in istanbul. This basilica is believed to have been built sometime in the 3 rd or 4 th centuries b. The cistern, located 150 metres 490 ft southwest of the hagia sophia on the historical peninsula of sarayburnu, was built in the 6th century during the reign of byzantine emperor justinian i. The cistern can hold 80,000 cubic metres 21,000,000 us gal of water. Mar 24, 20 the entrance to the basilca cistern is very small and easy to miss. The basilica cistern was actually the reservoir for the prodigious quantity of water required for the byzantine great palace, and it is thought to date back to the reign.
The largest cistern in the city of istanbul, built underneath the stoa basilica. The 8th istanbul biennial, poetic justice, the istanbul. The istanbul museum pass is a card provided by the government for tourists who want to visit some of the state museums. Upside down medusa statue at the underground cistern of istanbul. Download this premium photo about basilica cistern in istanbul, and discover more than 4 million professional stock photos on freepik. And now after more than 1,500years of its eminent existence, the eastern roman infrastructural ambit is also set to undergo restoration through an ambitious 450day project to be conducted by hera restoration.
The basilica cistern was built in the 6th century during the reign of byzantine emperor justinian to serve as water storage for his own palace and other. The basilica cistern, or cisterna basilica turkish. I researched the incredible story of medusa, realizing there is a very feminist psychological interpretation of the tale. This istanbul underground cistern is the size of a cathedral. Its dimensions are 140 by 70 meters, and it is capable of holding 80. The basilica cistern, one of istanbuls most unusual tourist attractions. The incredible subterranean basilica cistern ancient origins. Underground cistern istanbul tour studio istanbul guide. The basilica cistern yerebatan saray is a subterranean wonder and one of the greatest and certainly the biggest of istanbuls surviving byzantine sites. The theodosius cistern, which was restored by the istanbul metropolitan municipality ibb, has recently opened. The remains of the land and sea walls, the hippodrome, imperial palaces, commemorative columns, reservoirs and cisterns, an aqueduct, a triumphal archway, a fortified port, and twenty churches are also described in chronological order in the context of their times. There is a small building next to the tram line, there leads the stairs down to the. Basilica cistern is an underground cistern built by the late roman or early byzantine emperor justinian the great in constantinople during the 6th century.
Underground bascilica cistern istanbul travel information. Concerts in a cistern basilica cistern, istanbul traveller. Thus writing the history of the aqueduct system means in effect rewriting the history of the city. The cistern is a huge underground room that measures about 8 metres 453 ft by 64. The largest and the grandest of them all is the basilica cistern, so called because it lay beneath the stoa. It was one of the highlights of our tour of the city last march after the topkapi and aya sofia. Istanbul basilica cistern, a suggestive journey beneath. The citys most unexpectedly romantic attraction, it offers an interesting insight into the complicated system that once brought drinking water into istanbul from thrace. It has hundreds of decorated columns and is a simply breathtaking piece of architecture. View of the basilica cistern known in turkish as yerebatan sarn.
In addition to general information about the basilica cistern yerebatan. Istanbul has a rich history reflected in its wealth of stunning architecture. It wasnt until 1987, however, thanks to a clean up by the istanbul metropolitan municipality, that istanbuls visitors would be allowed to see what petrus gyllius had found over 400 years previously. Apr 04, 2016 when istanbul was constantinople during the period of the great roman, and later byzantium empire, hundreds of subterranean cisterns were built underneath the streets and houses to store water. This book examines the interchange of architecture and ritual in the middle and late byzantine churches of constantinople ninth to fifteenth centuries.
Project muse byzantine monuments of istanbul by john. Basilica cistern, istanbul, turkey basilica cistern. What famous example of byzantine architecture has been. Sarnic or sunken palace today is a atmospherically spotlighted massive underground water cavern of beautiful arches and roman support columns and their watery reflections, and used to be the byzantine citys main water storage under siege or in hard times.
The reception of isntabul welcome card ask me to download the app. Architecture and ritual in the churches of constantinople. Istanbuls underground basilica cistern yerebatan saray. It is not far from one of istanbuls main attractions. Several times we passed it and did not go in due to the long line. Basilica cistern simple english wikipedia, the free. Basilica cistern, istanbul history, facts, opening hours. After a trip to the basilica cistern i found that it was an ideal shelter contradicting many conditions of the outside world.
Built in 532 by justinian, this is the largest surviving cistern in the city. The entrance to the basilca cistern is very small and easy to miss. Istanbuls basilica cistern yerebatan sarnici, submerged palace in turkish is the largest underground cistern in this beautiful turkish city. And enjoy there on both floors climb up to the gallery for second floor, watch the wonderful mosaic spent around 1 hour after st sophia pass to the right way and walk to the other side of the tramway, there is the basilica cistern. Panorama shootings for the basilica cistern were done in the year 2007. Nov 09, 2019 history of istanbuls basilica cistern istanbuls basilica cistern yerebatan sarnici, submerged palace in turkish is the largest underground cistern in this beautiful turkish city. This book is about the byzantine monuments of istanbul, most notably, haghia sophia. On the other hand, the role of cisterns in istanbul decreased during. Known locally as yerebatan sarayi meaning sunken palace or yerebatan sarnici sunken cistern, this underground water cistern was the major water reservoir of constantinople. The cistern, located 150 metres 490 ft southwest of the hagia sophia on the historical peninsula of sarayburnu. This book is about the byzantine monuments of istanbul, including more than 20 churches, most notably haghia sophia, as well as the remains of the land and sea walls, the hippodome, imperial palaces, commemorative columns, reservoirs and cisterns, an aqueduct, a triumphal archway and a fortified port.
You can find much more on the citys underground attractions in the book the world beneath istanbul by ersin kalkan. Built around 500 ad, this was meant to store water for the. Basilica cistern istanbul, turkey attractions lonely planet. Be careful as its damp, so condensation makes the paths a bit slippery and the stairs too. Find the perfect basilica cistern istanbul stock photo. When youre done, you can download your istanbul travel guide to your phone or tablet, or print it as a pdf. Mar 09, 2015 nicknamed yerebatan sarayi, or the sunken palace in turkish, it is known in english as the basilica cistern because of its location on the site of an ancient basilica. After you managed to find this place and walk down the stairs to the ancient water reservoir that was built in. Emperor justinian i commissioned his city prefect longinus to build it. Sometimes you can catch a musical performance there on one of my trips to istanbul, we had caught the whirling dervishes here and it was an amazingly surreal experience. Istanbuls constantinople 6th century basilica cistern. The historic place to be basilica cistern, istanbul.
It is called the basilica cistern, because of its presumed location underneath the roman ilius basilica which stood here. Press f9 to get a list of the 3d sites you downloaded residing in the same directory. Visit the world famous historical monuments of istanbul with a local specialist. What famous example of byzantine architecture has been both a christian church and a mosque. And it is definitely as interesting and fascinating.
Jan 07, 2017 according to a statistical report entailing international tourists, the basilica cistern is the third most visited site in turkey. Subterranean cistern, is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of istanbul, turkey. There are hundreds of ancient cisterns under the city and this one is the largest. Aug 17, 2011 serif yenen was born in odemisizmir in 1963. The cistern was giant holding tank for water that had been piped in from outside the city walls by means of a series of aqueducts and tunnels that ran from the belgrade forest, 25 kilometers16 miles away. Photo source it may be pointed out that the name of this cistern is derived from the fact that it stands under the site where a roman basilica a large, open, public building where business or legal transactions could be carried out once stood. However, it was easy to find on our own after the tour of sultanahmet. The largest and the grandest of them all is the basilica cistern, so called because it lay beneath the stoa basilica, a large byzantine public square. Basilica cistern is an underground cistern built by the late roman or early byzantine emperor justinian the.
1177 938 65 506 764 1055 1357 997 624 185 222 37 702 667 141 1153 522 251 235 1224 990 850 1204 121 1232 62 13 1291 505 1269 219 732 198 744 246 41 292 65 1132 796 233 1466