Basilica Cistern

Fatih, Turkey

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

Opening hours: Mo-Su 09:00-19:00
Phone: +90 212 522 12 59

From OpenStreetMap — confirm before travelling

Find out more

The Basilica Cistern, located 150 metres southwest of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul's Fatih district, is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns beneath the city. Built during the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian I in the 6th century, this subterranean structure exemplifies Byzantine engineering and architectural ambition. The vast underground chamber was designed to store water for the imperial palace and surrounding city. Today, largely drained to permit public access, it remains a striking testament to Byzantine-era infrastructure, its cavernous interior supported by rows of columns and revealing the sophisticated hydraulic knowledge of the ancient Roman and Byzantine worlds.

Movement

Byzantine architecture

Type: palace, ancient Roman cistern
Place: Fatih, Turkey

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Location

41.00840, 28.97792