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Basilica Cistern

Description: Yerebatan Caddesi, Sultanahmet, Istanbul. Telephone: 90-212-5221259 Open daily except Mondays , 09:00-18:00. The Basi ... more

Basilica Cistern ... Basilica Cistern ,also known as the Sunken Palace, was constructed by Justinian in 532 to supply the Byzantine Palace primarily. It fell out

Newest Review: ... taken from an earlier structure – a nymphaeum; a shrine to water nymphs. Near the entrance and exit of the Basilica Cistern, a local artist has provided some ceramic artwork, which sits in the water, consisting of several lines of small white ceramic towers, some of which have been coloured with touches of ... more

... gold paint. It looks quite odd, but is really not out of place in such a peculiar location. On the way out of the Cistern, there is a small café, with tables and chairs protected from condensation drips falling from the ceiling by a shoddy looking s...more

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Basilica Cistern: An Underground Palace (1000 words)
by MykReeve - written on 25/06/01 (Very useful, 98 readings)
Rating:

The Basilica Cistern in Istanbul is certainly one of the oddest tourist attractions in the world. If you've seen a film set in Istanbul, then it's pretty likely you've seen the Basilica Cistern. It was featured in 'From Russia With Love' when Bond got into a boat to sail across the water-filled underground vault, and again in Jackie Chan's recent Hong Kong-funded action film 'The Accidental Spy' where Chan was attacked by bad guys on one of the walkways. HISTORY The Cistern was constructed in the Byzantine period of Istanbul's history. During Emperor Justinian's rule of the city in 532 AD, this underground vault ...

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