Best of Basilica Cistern Tour : Skip the Line : Fast Track Best of Basilica Cistern Tour

Discover the Basilica Cistern visited by former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Impresive Roman empire structure as featured in Dan Brown's novel, "Inferno" and James Bond "From Russia with Love"
Basilica Cistern Museum is one of the most important cultural assets where we can trace the traces of glorious Istanbul history. This grand underground cistern, built by Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I (527-565), is nicknamed “Yerebatan Sarayı” (Sunken Palace) among the public due to its numerous marble columns rising from the water. It is also known as “Bazilika Sarnıcı” (Basilica Cistern) by some, as it was built on the site of the former Stoa Basilica, which was a basilica.

With its 80,000-ton water storage capacity, Yerebatan Cistern is the largest covered cistern in the city and stands out with more reclaimed supporting elements compared to other covered cisterns. Covering an area of approximately 10,000 square meters, this colossal structure has a rectangular shape with a length of 140 meters and a width of 70 meters.

According to written sources, the cistern used to distribute water from waterways and rain to the Great Palace, where the emperors resided, and the surrounding buildings, meeting the city’s water needs for hundreds of years. It also received water from one of the historical aqueducts called the Hadrianus Aqueduct.

Inside the cistern, there are 336 columns, each measuring 9 meters in height. These columns are erected at 4.80-meter intervals, forming 12 rows, each containing 28 columns. Carved from various types of marble, most of the columns consist of a single piece, while some are composed of two parts.

In the Ottoman period, the Yerebatan Cistern underwent its first restoration during the reign of Sultan Ahmed III, and the second restoration during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II. In the following years, it continued to undergo various restoration efforts. Between 1955 and 1960, nine columns under the risk of collapse were covered with a thick layer of concrete to prevent further deterioration. In 1985-1987, during a comprehensive restoration and cleaning project carried out by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, the iconic blocks with Medusa heads were discovered, which are one of the most significant symbols of Yerebatan Cistern. The Medusa heads, used as column bases, are positioned horizontally in the western part and upside down in the eastern part of the structure. These Medusa heads, considered one of the most exceptional examples of Roman sculpture, have attracted great attention from visitors and have become the subject of many legends.

Following the restoration in 1987, the magnificent structure was opened to the public as a museum with the addition of a platform for visitors. This mysterious place, which has become an integral part of Istanbul sightseeing programs, has been visited by many prominent figures, including former U.S. President Bill Clinton, former Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok, former Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini, former Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson,

To guarantee availability book as soon as possible. Early booking is worth consideration especially if you planning the trip during high season like public holidays or weekends.

Cancellation is not possible. If you cancel it anyway or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity and the money you paid will not be refunded.