Basilica Cistern / Byzantium & Ottoman Empire & istanbul

The Basilica Cistern (Basilica Cistern), built by I. Justinian in 532, is the largest cistern in Istanbul. When you get down to the Yerebatan, it takes you away for peace, quietness and a bit of shudder while you are detaching you from the outside world. Today, the cistern is home to many local and international events as well as being a museum.

Here is the Yerebatan Cistern which is home to two empires and one of the unique beauties of Istanbul ...

The Basilica Cistern was built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. after an estimated 532 years. The other name is Bazalika

This water reservoir, also known as the Yerebatan Palace, the largest covered cistern in Istanbul, is in the Eminönü district of Sultanahmet
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It has a very fancy appearance because it uses old pillars heads and temple columns in its construction
The Byzantine Corinthian and Ionian style cistern with 336 columns heads, 140 meters long, 70 meters wide and 9800 square meters

It is made of bricks with a thickness of 4 m, as well as plastered with special mortar for waterproofing

The Yerebatan Palace is provided by arches built by Justinian, 19 km away from the city to meet the water needs.

There are 2 Medusa heads used in the northwest corner of the cistern, which are used to form two pillars, but for what purpose
Upside down Medusa head in The Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarn

According to a custom, Madusa, one of the three Gorgona female monsters of the underworld, has the power to turn stones to ministers
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For this purpose it is thought to have been put in place to protect private places
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Another rumor is that Medusa's love-ending hair to Perseus has turned into a serpent, turning every stone he looks at
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Perseus cut off his head by believing that magic was done to Medusa and won many wars by holding his head against the enemy during the wars medusa

On the other hand, it is presumed that the supporters of these columns are in the opposite direction because they are Christians, so that they refer to paganism
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In construction 7,000 slaves worked and ended in 38 years. According to a rumor, the tears on the columns tell hundreds of slaves who died in a cistern

After the 1453 Istanbul conquest, the sultans gave water to the gardens of the Topkapi Palace from here

The biggest restores were carried out by İBB between 1985-1988 with 50.000 tons of mud at a height of 1 meter

The Basilica Cistern has a truly superb atmosphere, as well as historical texture that will impress you

The Current Cascades have water levels ranging from 25 cm to 1 m in the cistern, with plump fish in them
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Today, many visual festivals host live concerts and events in the cistern where light shows and special effects are made.

Many visitors who come to Mekana keep wishing by throwing money at the water
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In the meantime, it is useful to warn, the humidity rate is bad for the health of asthmatic patients

09.00-18: cistern, which is open to visitors between 30 pm, $ 5 for the citizens of the Republic of Turkey, is $ 10 for tourists