One of the magnificent historical buildings of Istanbul is the Basilica Cistern located in the southwest of Hagia Sophia.
One of the magnificent historical buildings of Istanbul is the Basilica Cistern located in the southwest of Hagia Sophia. This large underground cistern, built by the Byzantine Emperor Justinianus (527-565), was named as the "Basilica Palace" among the people because of the marble columns rising from the water. It is also known as the Basilica Cistern since there was a Basilica in the place where the cistern was.
The cistern is a giant building covering a rectangular area of 140 meters in length and 70 meters in width. Covering a total area of 9,800 square meters, this cistern has a water storage capacity of approximately 100,000 tons. There are 336 columns, each 9 meters high, in this cistern, which is descended by a stone staircase with 52 steps. These columns, erected at intervals of 4.80 meters, form 12 rows, each containing 28 columns. Most of the columns, mostly of which were found to be collected from older structures and carved from various types of marble, consist of a single piece and some of them consist of two pieces. The titles of these columns have different features in places. While 98 of them reflect the Corint style, some of them reflect the Doric style. The vast majority of the columns in the cistern are cylindrical, except for a few of them in angular or grooved form. Since the 8 columns in front of the northeastern wall towards the middle of the cistern were exposed to the risk of breaking during a construction made in 1955-1960, each of them was frozen in a thick layer of concrete and therefore they lost their former features. The ceiling space of the cistern was transferred to the columns by means of arches. The walls of the cistern, which are made of brick, 4.80 meters thick and the floor with brick pavement, are plastered with a thick layer of Horasan mortar and made waterproof.
Covering a large area in this area during the Byzantine period, the Basilica Cistern was used for a while after the conquest of Istanbul by the Ottomans in 1453 and water was given to the gardens of the sultans where the sultans lived.
Sarnıç, who understood that the Ottomans, who preferred flowing water instead of stagnant water due to the cleaning principles of Islamic plinths, did not use it after establishing their own water facilities in the city. It was re-discovered by the Dutch traveler P. Gyllius and introduced to the Western world. While walking around Hagia Sophia in one of his researches, P. Gyllius learned that the people of the houses drew water from the well-shaped round holes in the ground floors of the houses with their buckets hanging down, and even fishing. He entered the cistern with a torch in his hand through the stone-lined courtyard of a wooden building on top of a large underground cistern. P. Gyllius traveled with a cistern under very difficult conditions and took his measurements and determined the columns. Gyllius, whose information he saw and acquired was published in his travel book, influenced many travelers.
The cistern has undergone various repairs since its establishment. The first repair of the cistern, which was repaired twice during the Ottoman Empire Period, was made by Mehmet Ağa, Architect Kayserili in the time of Ahmet III (1723). The second repair was made during the reign of Sultan Abdulhamid II (1876-1909). During the Republican Period, the cistern was cleaned by Istanbul Municipality in 1987 and opened to visitors by making a travel platform. In May 1994, it underwent a great cleaning and maintenance again.
Medusa's Head
Two Medusa Heads, used as a base under two columns in the northwest corner of the cistern, are masterpieces of the Roman Period sculpture art. Medusa, which attracts the most attention of the people who visit the cistern, is unknown from which structures the heads were taken and brought here. Researchers generally think that they were brought to be used as a column base only during the construction of the cistern. Despite this view, a number of myths about the Medusa Head have formed.
According to one legend, Medusa is one of three Gorgonas, the female monster of the underworld in Greek mythology. Of these three sisters, Medusa, with a snake head, has the power to turn those who care for her into stone. According to one view, Gorgona paintings and sculptures were used at that time to protect large buildings and private places, and that is why the head of Sarnica Medusa was placed.
According to another rumor, Medusa was a girl who boasted with her black eyes, long hair and beautiful body. Medusa loved Zeus' son Perseus. Meanwhile, Athena liked Perseus and was jealous of Medusa. That's why Athena turned Medusa's hair into a snake. Now everybody Medusa looked at turned into stone. Later, Perseus cut off Medusa's head and took advantage of her power to defeat many enemies.
Based on this, the Head of Medusa was engraved on the sword hilt in Byzantium and placed in the column bases (so that ministers do not cut stones). According to a rumor, Medusa turned to stone, looking sideways. Therefore, the sculptor who made the statue here made Medusa in three different positions according to the angle of reflection of the light.
This mysterious place, which is an integral part of the Istanbul excursion programs, has so far been from former US President Bill Clinton to Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok, from former Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini to former Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson and former Austrian Prime Minister Thomas Klestil. many people visited.
Currently, one of the affiliates of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Kültür A.Ş. The Basilica Cistern run by is home to many national and international events as well as being a museum.
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