Archaeological sights in Istanbul
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Basilica Cistern
When those Byzantine emperors built something, they certainly did it properly! This extraordinary subterranean structure, built by Justinian in 532 (perhaps on the site of an earlier cistern), is the largest surviving Byzantine cistern in İstanbul. Now one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions, it’s a great place to while away 30 minutes or so, especially during summer when its cavernous depths stay wonderfully cool. The cistern’s roof is 65m wide and 143m long, and is supported by 336 columns arranged in 12 rows. It once held 80,000 cubic metres of water, delivered via 20km of aqueducts from a reservoir near the Black Sea. The cistern was constructed using colum…
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Yedikule Zindanlari
If you arrived in İstanbul by train from Europe, or if you rode in from the airport along the seashore, you will probably have noticed this fortress looming over the southern approaches to the city. One of the city’s major landmarks, it has a history as substantial as its massive structure. In the late 4th century Theodosius the Great built a triumphal arch here. When the next Theodosius built his massive land walls, he incorporated the arch in the structure. Four of the fortress’ seven towers were built as part of Theodosius II’s walls; the other three, which are inside the walls, were added by Mehmet the Conqueror. Under the Byzantines, the great arch became known as th…
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