The Basilica Cistern
822 reviews
May 9, 2023
The Basiliki Cistern is one of the most spectacular architectural structures in Istanbul, Turkey. The cistern was built in the 6th century AD and served as a reservoir for the Byzantine Palace, and later for the Ottoman Empire.
Entrance prices to the Basilica Cistern in 2023
for foreign citizens — 190 Turkish lira, for children — 20 Turkish lira, for Turkish citizens — 50 Turkish lira
My impression of the Basilica Cistern is very positive. After passing through its doors and descending the stairs, I found myself in a huge underground space filled with columns and flickering light. It seemed that I had entered a mystical world where time slows down, and all sounds sound as if from afar.
One of the most impressive elements of the Basilica Cistern is its columns, which are decorated with a capital in the form of a jellyfish or an eagle. The columns sink into the water, giving the impression that the water is holding on to them, which makes the situation even more mysterious.
In addition, there are several well-known objects inside the Basilica Cistern, such as two Medusa heads that were used as capitals, and a column with traces of a ball from a canonical painting.
Overall, the Basilica Cistern is a must-visit place in Istanbul, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in history, architecture, or looking for something unusual and exciting in this city.
بركة بازيليكا، المعروفة أيضًا باسم بركة القصر، واحدة من أكثر المعالم المعمارية المثيرة في إسطنبول، تركيا. تم بناء البركة في القرن السادس الميلادي وكانت تستخدم كخزان للمياه لقصر البيزنطيين، ومن ثم للإمبراطورية العثمانية.
انطباعي عن بركة بازيليكا إيجابي للغاية. بعد المرور من خلال أبوابها والنزول عبر الدرج، وجدت نفسي في مساحة ضخمة تحت الأرض مليئة بالأعمدة والضوء المتلألئ. بدا وكأنني دخلت عالمًا غامضًا حيث يتباطأ الوقت ويصدر كل الأصوات كأنها من بعيد.
واحدة من العناصر الأكثر إثارة للإعجاب في بركة بازيليكا هي أعمدتها، التي تزين كابيتال على شكل الأفعى أو النسر. تتغطى الأعمدة بالماء، مما يخلق انطباعًا بأن الماء يعتليها، مما يجعل الجو أكثر غموضًا.
بالإضافة إلى ذلك، هناك العديد من الأشياء الشهيرة داخل بركة بازيليكا، مثل رأسين لميدوزا، استخدما ككابيتال، وعمود يحمل آثار الكرة من لوحة كانونية.
بشكل عام، بركة بازيليكا هي مكان زيارة لا بد منه في إسطنبول، وأوصي بشدة بزيارتها لجميع من يهتم بالتاريخ والعمارة، أو يبحث عن شيء غير عادي ومثير في هذه المدينة.
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December 10, 2024
An unusual and interesting place.
Especially if the guide tells you.
Beautiful pictures are obtained.
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September 19, 2024
This place is a must-visit. The time will take about 30 minutes. I advise you to come to the opening. There are not many visitors in the morning. The place is fascinating.
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December 16, 2023
Be sure to visit, the queue at the entrance, although large, passes quickly. It is located next to St. Sophia Cathedral in the very center of Istanbul. This is an ancient underground water storage built by the Greeks. It's very interesting inside.
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October 13, 2024
The structure is amazing.
How at that time, people could build such a thing does not fit into the mind.
We were left with a good impression.
I think the price is too expensive.
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October 1, 2024
One of the most impressive ancient reservoirs. I recommend it to all guests of Istanbul.
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December 1, 2024
It's worth a visit. The queue is moving quite confidently. It was late in the afternoon. The cost is 1000 liras (October 2024, with an audio guide of 1900, headphones are not provided).
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January 9
This place made more impressions than other popular attractions did. I recommend you to visit
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October 1, 2024
I'm glad I got to this basilica. There is a life hack, if there is a large queue, then Rhodes locals sell cards with a code , pass without queue, the price is + 100 lira to the ticket.
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August 10, 2024
I fell for the reviews!!
Are you people seriously "it's worth it"?????
Half an hour in the heat in the queue
They gave 800 lire for a ticket!!
I went down for 5 minutes
There is absolutely nothing to see there
Some kind of columns
This is utter nonsense
Who writes these reviews?
It's not worth 80 lire!
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December 13, 2024
Of course, it is worth visiting, interestingly, with lighting, because almost all ancient cities have these cisterns
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November 14, 2024
Once in a lifetime, everyone should visit this place)) you won't see this anywhere else!)) a unique building and very vivid memories))
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January 6
The fiercest building of figs knows what years) well, the engineers and builders did their best, no computers, no cranes, no normal tools) it works from 9 to 18 hours (entrance is 900 lire), and in the evening from 19-30 to 23-00 (but the entrance is already 1400 lire) prices on 2.01.2025
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May 2, 2024
You've already seen the pictures, let's talk about the mundane. There was a huge queue at the entrance on Thursday afternoon, it felt like it would take at least an hour. If you buy a ticket online, there is no queue. But there are no tickets on the basilica's website, you need a passo website, you can scan the qr code next to the queue. The site has been running for an awfully long time, you need to register before buying. There were no tickets for today, they took a ticket for tomorrow and asked us to use it - they let us in. It cost 880 lire per person. I don't know if it's cheaper to stand in line, but I didn't regret it. It's cool inside, a very unusual structure, a lot of photographs were taken. Quite a lot of people, but you can catch a moment for a photo.
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June 24, 2024
A gorgeous place, interesting, unusual, you can hide from the heat of the day. There are almost no queues in the morning and afternoon. Definitely worth including in the visit list!
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November 14, 2024
One of the last scenes of "Inferno" was filmed here, it's worth a visit. Interestingly, the original backlight. It doesn't look like a water tank, more like a concert hall.
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April 1, 2024
A very atmospheric place, beautiful, spectacular, impressive. Cool integrations of modern art objects and super lighting
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January 11, 2024
An incredible place! We were impressed. There was a queue at the entrance, but in general, they did not stand for long. There is pleasant music inside, the lighting of the columns is changing, and an exhibition of modern art. There are also concerts there, but unfortunately we didn't get there
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October 18, 2024
Fabulously beautiful. A day ticket, it seems, costs 800 rubles, for children (up to 8 years old) 200 or 300 rubles. The queue is at 18.15, where the restrictive column is closed and this group is the last, so that everyone leaves before 19.00, when the evening group will go and the price there is 1400 rubles per adult, it seems. At the same time, you can visit even at 22.00, there are almost no people and there will be no crowds and you can take beautiful photos and just sit / listen. But! If you go with the last day group, then there will be no one behind you and just take your time and you will have time))
Well, probably this is one of the most beautiful sights of Istanbul.
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September 19, 2024
The entry price is 1700 liras. This is even without a guided tour. For locals, it is 10-15 times cheaper. It's necessary to treat foreigners so unfriendly. Yunyongpei maps do not take place in this museum.
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November 30, 2023
A beautiful and iconic place. Interesting sculptures, there is something to take pictures and see. There's a queue at the entrance, but it's moving fast. It's convenient to buy tickets, but just look where to pay. Card or cash.
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December 15, 2024
One of the must-visit places in Istanbul, 1000 years of history and hundreds of films, it's just a sin not to visit here if you happen to be in Istanbul!
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December 12, 2024
It is a very interesting structure, modern sculptures spoil it a little. But it's worth a look.
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December 21, 2023
It's a wonderful place. If you are in Istanbul, I definitely recommend you to visit. I guarantee a lot of emotions and impressions. The atmosphere is simply mesmerizing. A piece of the great history of mankind around you.
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October 29, 2024
A full hat. I don't recommend it to anyone. There are a lot of people. The price for the Russian Federation is 7,000 rubles. for two people in 30 minutes. The queue is like for milk in the 90s. Knee-deep water and a bunch of columns. It feels like you've been tricked after visiting.
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December 18, 2024
One of the most popular and accessible places, definitely recommended for visiting
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December 14, 2023
A very atmospheric place!
The queue at the entrance is moving fast 👍
And then there is a descent into the cistern and there is such beauty!
The cistern is an ancient freshwater storage facility in the center of Istanbul underground 👍
Each column is a work of art! Here you can see various installations) The backlight looks very nice, which is constantly changing 👍
The atmosphere is magical!
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August 7, 2023
I do not recommend it in the summer! It's very stuffy, like in a steam room! The queue is always impressive, but it moves quickly, there is no toilet inside, this is a minus, but it is justified, antiquity is still😂 I liked the visit in November more!! In July 2023, some of the expositions were removed for some reason ((somehow it became a pity to spend 350 liras.. it's also a shame that this price is ONLY for foreigners, Turks pay 30 in my opinion) in general, if you haven't been, feel free to go! Unusual, cool!
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July 21, 2023
I dreamed of visiting this place for a long time, having read adventure novels and works since school. After visiting Istanbul, the first thing I did was go here. The impressions were justified. This underground structure really resembles an Underground Palace (Yerebatan Sarai). The building is so monumental that it takes your breath away. It is very well maintained, wonderfully organized and the logistics are superbly thought out. The art objects located throughout the basilica fit perfectly into the interior and each in its own way makes you think. I recommend everyone to visit, preferably from an early opening, when it is sparsely populated
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August 7, 2024
A must-visit. A very impressive and fascinating place. I recommend
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August 25, 2024
I do not think that admission for foreign citizens is worth the money (as in Dolmabahce and Galata Tower, tickets for foreigners are very expensive; but Dolmabahce is worth it)
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February 7, 2023
An interesting place for lovers of antiquity and history, while others will be a little boring, but very beautiful. Backlight 👍🏼 everything is equipped. We came to lunch - there were quite a lot of tourists. Admission is 300 lire per person.
PS: I took off the asterisk for the cost. For such a tariff, you could give a free audio guide or at least turn on atmospheric music in the hall.
The Yandex map shows the exit from the museum, not its entrance, but the staff quickly oriented it.
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July 28, 2023
It's an amazing place. Atmospheric and unusual. One of the most memorable locations in Istanbul. It is better to come in the morning, while all Sultanahmet tourists go to Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, so as not to queue
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January 8
It's a wonderful place. It makes no sense to describe the feeling inside - you have to visit and see everything with your own eyes!!!
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October 8, 2024
A very interesting place, a ticket costs 950 liras per person (October 2024) it is better to come early if you do not want to stand in line later
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January 23, 2024
A unique place! A lot of emotions. I recommend everyone to visit
Be sure to have a guide! Necessarily. The historical monument is rich in secrets, secrets and unique facts of construction
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October 25, 2023
An amazing place where you can look in the evening and enjoy the intimacy and mystery of the ancient reservoir, the whole atmosphere of which is saturated with history. The entrance cost 650 lire. The museum was open until 22:00, it took me an hour to see it in its entirety.
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August 16, 2023
The most interesting place in Istanbul for tourists of all ages, even for those who do not go anywhere at all. An underground semi-dark giant hall with marble columns, where drinking water for the great imperial palace has been stored since the time of Byzantium.
Nowadays, the ancient hall has been enriched with lighting and art objects. And it's also cool here, you can take a little break from the heat.
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October 21, 2023
A very atmospheric place. A beautiful monument of Byzantine culture accidentally discovered by archaeologists relatively recently. One of the best places to take photos. They say it's better to go in the evening, there are fewer people. We got there in the afternoon. There were quite a lot of people.
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July 20, 2023
A fantastic place!! How many epochs have passed - and the water is the purest!
Very beautiful lighting, modern sculptures and installations are successfully inscribed)
My guide said that there are concerts here, now it's a dream to get to the basilica and listen to music in these antique walls!
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December 2, 2023
A mystical place in the heart of Istanbul in Sultanahmet district (near Hagia Sophia) Definitely worth a visit.
A former freshwater reservoir. It is now a museum, but with the atmosphere of that time.
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November 3, 2023
I came across a video about this place on the Internet after visiting. This historical place has been adequately transformed. The light so perfectly emphasizes its uniqueness. Comfortable paths, even with an endless queue outside and a large number of people inside, there is a place for photos, you can walk quietly and enjoy the grandeur and beauty of the columns.
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June 22, 2024
It's a very beautiful place, the queue is big in front of the entrance, but it's worth it! The entrance fee is 25€.
It is quite stuffy and crowded inside, but this does not prevent you from enjoying the beauty.
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August 11, 2024
I am delighted, the place is a must-visit. You can't describe all the emotions, you just HAVE to go
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December 30, 2024
It's a very beautiful and cool place in the heat. Big queue, lots of people inside
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February 4, 2024
An amazing reservoir, the backlight certainly does its job! I liked it, this place left a good impression! Very unusual and beautiful!
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September 23, 2024
Definitely worth the money.
I advise you to come in the late afternoon, closer to lunch there are huge queues at the entrance.
Entrance and exit separately
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January 10
The cistern, of course, is impressive, given the lack of necessary equipment and tools in ancient times.
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December 18, 2024
It's impressive. But in general, go through the snake quickly to take pictures of the Gorgon Jellyfish and columns. The place is interesting. It feels antique. Rush.
But there was not enough performance and antiquity inside. We stood in the heat and sweated for 25 minutes in line.
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March 6, 2024
I recommend you to visit. It is amazing that this building, with an area of almost 10 thousand square meters, was built in 306 by human hands! Without any cranes, lifts and other equipment! They built it for 2 centuries! And at that time, the water was carried there through an underground water supply system from the sources of the Belgrade Forest, 20 km of water supply underground!
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