Basilica Cistern

The second Medusa head pillar

The Basilica Cistern, also called the Yerebatan Sarayı or Yerebatan Sarnıcı, is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that still lie beneath the city of Istanbul, former Constantinople, Turkey. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 226 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (721 × 1913 pixel, file size: 293 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 226 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (721 × 1913 pixel, file size: 293 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... // Getting water out of a cistern A cistern (Middle English cisterne, from Latin cisterna, from cista, box, from Greek kistê, basket) is a receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. ... Istanbul (Turkish: , Greek: , historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see other names) is Turkeys most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. ... This article is about the city before the Fall of Constantinople (1453). ...

The cistern, located in the historical peninsula of Istanbul next to the Hagia Sophia, was built during the reign of emperor Justinian I in the 6th century, the age of glory of Eastern Rome, also called the Byzantine Empire. Istanbul (Turkish: , Greek: , historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see other names) is Turkeys most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. ... Hagia Sophia The patriarchal basilica Hagia Sophia (Greek: ; Holy Wisdom), now known as the Ayasofya Museum, was the culmination of early Christian architecture. ... This article is about the Roman emperor. ... The 6th century is the period from 501 - 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. ... “Byzantine” redirects here. ...

Measurements and data

This cathedral-sized cistern is an underground chamber of 143 by 65 metres, capable of holding 80,000 cubic metres of water. The large space is broken up by a forest of 336 marble columns each 9 metres high. The columns are arranged in 12 rows each consisting of 28 columns. The capitals of the columns are mainly Ionic and Corinthian styles, with the exception of a few Doric style with no engravings. According to ancient historians, emperor Constantine had already built a basilica and cistern on the same spot. As the demand for water grew, emperor Justinian enlarged the cisterns and incorporated the basilica. For other uses, see Marble (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Constantine I (disambiguation). ...

The cistern is surrounded by a firebrick wall with a thickness of 4 meters and coated with a special mortar for waterproofing. The cistern's water was provided from the Belgrade Woods—which lie 19km north of the city—via aqueducts built by the emperor Justinian. For other uses, see Aqueduct (disambiguation). ...

The cracks and the columns were repaired in 1968. Having been restored in 1985 by the Istanbul Metropolitan Museum, the cistern was once again opened to the public on September 9, 1987. Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Medusa column bases

The bases of two of the columns reuse earlier blocks carved with the head of a Medusa. They are located in the northwest corner of the cistern. It is not known exactly where the origin of the two heads is. It is rumoured that the heads were brought to the cistern after being removed from an antique building of the late Roman period. Another mystery is about why one of the heads is upside down, while the other one is tilted to one side. But it is commonly accepted by scientists that they were placed that way deliberately. A relatively modern image of Medusa painted by Arnold Böcklin In Greek mythology, Medusa (Μεδουσα Queen), was a monstrous female character whose gaze could turn people to stone. ...

Trivia

The cistern was used as a location for the James Bond film From Russia with Love. It is a popular tourist attraction. In the film, it is referred to as being constructed by the Emperor Constatine, with no reference to Justinian. Its location is a considerable distance from the Soviet (now Russian) embassy, which is located in the newer "European" section of Istanbul, on the other side of the Golden Horn. “007” redirects here. ... For the video game, see From Russia with Love (video game). ...

Gallery

The entrance to the Basilica Cistern ImageMetadata File history File links Basilica_Cistern. ...	Another view of the forest of columns Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2304 × 1728 pixel, file size: 1. ...	The roof of the cistern Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 692 KB) The Basilica Cistern in Istanbul is one of the most incredible places of this city. ...	One of the Medusa base Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1600 × 1200 pixel, file size: 397 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ...
Carp in the Cistern Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 569 pixelsFull resolution (2301 × 1638 pixel, file size: 416 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Carp at the Basilica Cistern, Istanbul, Turkey 2007 File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Basilica Cistern

• Basilica Cistern.
• Description on Istanbul Governorship web site.
• Basilica Cistern Video

Coordinates: 41°0′29″N, 28°58′40″E Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...