An amazing structure that I just learned about. Looking at the photo, you might think that this is some kind of temple, but in fact it is something else.
The incredible crowds of tourists wandering around Ai Meydana Square in Istanbul invariably visit the Basilica Cisterna. Sometimes it seems that in the midst of the incredible bustle that reigns daily in Istanbul - a city where 15 million people live, you cannot find an island of peace and quiet. Indeed, many tourists feel discomfort not only from the summer heat and the noise of the metropolis, but also from the shocks in the bazaars or the powerful melodic call to prayer, which is broadcast from the minarets of an endless number of mosques. Remember - the basilica cistern in Istanbul will serve you as the perfect refuge - unexpectedly quiet, dark, cool and fantastically mysterious.
Let's take a walk inside the structure …
In the European part of the city of Istanbul (Turkey), on a cape between the Golden Horn Bay, the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus Strait, there is the Sultanahmet region. It is here, in the very center of the Turkish metropolis, that the ancient underground reservoir of Constantinople is located - the Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı).
The basilica cistern was built during the early Byzantium period - in the sixth century AD. Construction began under the Emperor Constantine and completed during the reign of Emperor Justinian. About seven thousand slaves took part in the construction of the basilica. The underground structure was built on the site of the Basilica of St. Sophia in the center of Constantinople, hence the name Basilica Cistern. Built entirely underground, the structure was designed to store water, which was of strategic importance in the event of a siege of the city. This gigantic reservoir was filled with waters that originated in the Belgrade forest. During the Byzantine period, water from the basilica of the cistern was supplied to the Great Imperial Palace and nearby buildings. After the conquest of the city in 1453 by the Ottoman ruler Mehmet II, the cistern was used for some time,but only for watering green spaces in Topkapi Palace.
There are sources that state the fact that already during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, another water conduit was built to supply water to the Topkapi Palace. Meanwhile, the role of the Byzantine cistern gradually faded away.
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The Western world was unaware of the existence of such a grandiose structure in the capital of Turkey until Gyllius, a Dutch traveler, accidentally discovered it during a visit to Istanbul in 1544-1550. Gyllius's goal was to explore the remains of Byzantine structures in the conquered Constantinople. Once walking around the buildings around the Hagia Sophia mosque, he was surprised to find people who drew water from underground wells and even fished!
And in 1721, Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach made an engraving with a detailed plan of the basilica of the cistern in Istanbul. Where does such amazing accuracy come from? Is this not a confirmation of the fact that the Turks by that time drained a gigantic underground reservoir!
This unique landmark of Istanbul is evidence of ancient technologies, the development of scientific thought in those distant times. An almost inexhaustible reserve of drinking water was stored here in case a drought or siege began in the city. Water was delivered to the Basilica via a water supply system and aqueducts from springs in the nearby Belgrade forest, located a few kilometers from the city. Each stage of the construction and reconstruction of the reservoir is a whole era in the life of the entire city:
* the beginning of the IV century - the beginning of the construction of the Cistern by Emperor Constantine I;
* 532 - completion of construction under Justinian;
* XVI century - desolation and pollution;
* 1987 Basilica Cistern was cleared and taken over as a museum.
Like any architectural structure, the Basilica Cistern has its own stylistic features and forms:
* Tank dimensions: 145 by 65 meters;
* its capacity is 80 thousand cubic meters of water;
* 336 columns, 8 meters high, support the vaulted ceiling;
* columns stand 12 rows of 28 columns at a distance of almost 5 meters from each other;
* The walls of the Tank are made of refractory bricks, the thickness of which is 4 meters, they are covered with a unique waterproofing solution.
Every feature, every decor of this amazing monument represents the perfection and scale of scientific and technical thought of the past.
The ancient reservoir is a cultural and historical attraction in Turkey, which is one of the most visited museums in this country. Here you can:
* walk along the "Column of Tears", decorated with antique curls, from which sad drops of water slowly flow down, like the tears of a beauty imprisoned in a dungeon;
* throw a coin into the "Pool of desires" to come back here again;
* look into the eyes of the petrified Head of Medusa, turned upside down.
Here are some interesting facts that will help you assess the scale of the construction of the cistern basilica in Istanbul. The reservoir is located underground, at a depth of about 10-12 meters. The length of the structure is one hundred and forty meters, and the width is seventy meters. In order to support the vaulted ceiling, a colonnade was built, which is formed by twelve rows. Each row includes twenty-eight columns.
A four-meter-thick brick wall was erected along the perimeter of the building, which was treated with a waterproofing mixture inside. Columns (nine meters high) were brought to Constantinople from all parts of the Byzantine Empire, even from Asia Minor.
The filling of the basilica cistern was carried out along the Valens aqueduct, and the emptying was carried out through baked clay pipes at different levels in the eastern wall. The structure holds over one hundred thousand tons of water. The ceiling is formed by arched cross vaults lined with burnt tiles. Thirty years ago, the building was again emptied and cleaned. Tens of tons of mud were raised to the surface of the earth. Then the floor was concreted, and wooden decks were built for the passage of tourists. In addition, lighting was installed inside the cistern basilica in Istanbul. Water constantly seeps into the premises, but its level is maintained at 40-50 cm. Schools of freshwater fish live in the water.
This unique structure was erected on the site of the Basilica of St. Sophia. Translated from the Greek language, the cistern means "reservoir", hence the name - Basilica Cistern.
Twilight reigns inside the cistern, and the tall majestic columns remind of the underworld of Moria from the movie "The Lord of the Rings".
At the base of the two columns are the inverted heads of Medusa the Gorgon - one looking down and the other to the side. If you believe the myths of Ancient Greece, then, looking into the eyes of the Gorgon, all living things instantly turn into stone. It is still unknown where these columns were brought from.
A four-meter-thick brick wall was erected along the perimeter of the structure, which is covered with a special waterproofing solution. The ceiling is lined with burnt tiles. The reservoir was actively used until the 16th century, but then it was abandoned. Basilik's cistern was discovered by accident: someone decided to ask where the fish comes from, which the residents of the houses standing on this place carelessly caught right through the holes in the floor.
In 1987, a museum was opened here. Good acoustics make it possible to organize grandiose concerts of jazz and classical music in the Basilica Cistern. Now here, at a depth of 10-12 meters underground, the water level does not exceed half a meter on average. And while walking along the wooden bridges, you can observe how carps swim in the water, like shadows of the past.