Basilica Cistern is a cistern located in the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul, built during the Byzantine Empire. It is located on Soğukçeşme Street, southwest of Hagia Sophia. It is also called the Basilica Palace among the public because of the many marble columns rising from the water.
Basilica Cistern was built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I between 527-565. The cistern was built to meet the water needs of the city. The interior of the cistern is 140 meters long, 70 meters wide and 9 meters high. There are 336 columns inside the cistern. The columns are arranged in 25 rows. The height of the columns is 9 meters. Most of the columns are in the Corinthian order.
Basilica Cistern is one of the most important historical buildings in Istanbul. The cistern is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The cistern is visited by thousands of local and foreign tourists every year.
Where is Basilica Cistern?
Basilica Cistern is located in the Fatih district of Istanbul, in the Sultanahmet district. The cistern is located on Soğukçeşme Street, southwest of Hagia Sophia.
The address of the Basilica Cistern is as follows: Alemdar Mh., Yerebatan Cd., 34122 Fatih/Istanbul
Basilica Cistern is open to visitors every day of the week between 09.00 and 19.00. The entry fee is 2023 TL for 25. Museum card is valid.
How to Get to Basilica Cistern?
Access to the Basilica Cistern is extremely easy. To the centrally located Basilica Cistern Kabataş – You can go to Bağcılar by using the tram line. After getting off from the Sultanahmet stop, you can reach the cistern with a 3-minute walk. If you want to visit the Basilica Cistern from the Anatolian Side, you can do so by ferry to Beşiktaş or KabataşYou can reach the cistern by coming to and getting off at Sultanahmet by tram.
Is Basilica Cistern Paid?
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality announced that entrance to the Basilica Cistern will be free for 100 days within the scope of the 100th anniversary of the Republic.
Basilica Cistern is a paid museum. Museum card is valid. The entry fee for 2023 is 25 TL.