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The Basilica Cistern; is a Byzantine cistern from the VI. C. and it's located at Sultanahmet Square Istanbul, in walking distance to Hagia Sophia Museum and Blue Mosque.

Well, however it's not a palace at all, it's an huge water storage place.

This cistern has fine brick vaulting supported by 336 Corinthian columns. It's the largest covered cistern in Istanbul, dating back to the Roman times. Its dimensions are 140 by 70 m., and it is capable of holding 80.000 cubic m. of water.

The Basilica Cistern's 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 of Justinian in 532. Later in Ottoman years it has been use for conception of complex of Topkapi Palace.

Cistern has a huge structure, measuring 140 m. long and 70 m. across, and it's virtually empty; only a couple of feet of water line the bottom. Some wooden walkways have been constructed for visitors. The atmosphere inside is so quite and beautiful. Also it's very nice place for cooling down after being outside for a hot summer day.

This fabulous cistern was used for entertainment purpose in earlier years as a film set of the movie “From Russia With Love”, with actor James Bond.

In the cistern the light and music is fantastic, don't miss to visit! Very nice classical music accompanies the sound of endlessly dripping water.

Speaking of the water; since offering water is considered as a good deed in the ISLAM religion, following the conquering of the city by the Ottomans, and during the restructuring of the city many fountains and water resources were built in the city. However, as the time passed by the majority were demolished and at the present day there are approximately 500 fountains and 70 water resources.

One of the this fountain is Sultan Ahmet the III. Fountain (Sultan Ahmet Cesmesi) which is located just in front of the Topkapi Palace. It's built in 1729.

The fountain has a spout on each of its four sides.

This is a free standing fountain with a beautiful roof which is inside is adorned with reliefs and inscriptions and surmounted by decorated golden leaves. Actually fountain is dry.

Telephone : +90 212 522 12 59
Address : Yerebatan Road / No: 13 / 34410 / Sultanahmet / İstanbul
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