Basilica Cistern Museum|Head Of Medusa Mysterious /Istanbul

Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern is the largest underground cistern in Constantinople (Istanbul). It was built under the Basilica, located to the west of Hagia Sophia. Also known by its Turkish name Yerebatan Sarnıcı (Sarayı), it is one of the most important tourist attractions in modern Istanbul. The Basilica Cistern, together with churches such as Hagia Sophia, gives the impression of huge construction projects once undertaken by Justinian I. It is the only remnant of an important building complex in the surrounding area during the late antique Byzantine period. The cistern takes its name from the Basilica, commonly known as the Basilica Stoa or the Basilica of Ileus, which was once on it, and was built by Emperor Justinian in 532. It is located to the west of Augustine and Hagia Sophia, right next to Million's stone. The Basilica, where Constantinople's courts are located, was built in the late 4th or early 5th century, with a large courtyard surrounded by four walls. The Basilica Cistern is 70 m wide and 140 m long. It is a huge water reservoir structure consisting of 336 columns, one of which includes the head of Medusa, covering a rectangular area. It descends after 52 steps on the stone stairs. Columns close to each other in height resemble a castle at the bottom of the ocean, there is a pond in which fish swim, albeit shallow, between the columns.

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Basilica Cistern Mysterious Of Constantinopolis

All About Basilica Cistern

The ceiling was transferred to the columns with round cross vaults and arches. Just like in Hagia Sophia, most of the columns consisting of various types of marble and granite, which are understood to have been collected from old buildings, were mostly made in one piece, and some of them were made in two pieces on top of each other. The headings of these columns have different features from place to place. The most well-known of these is the column with the head of Medusa, which is believed to turn into stone when its eyes are looked at. Most of the columns in the cistern are angular or cylindrical except for a few fluted columns. It is noteworthy that it is decorated with carved and relief peacock eye and teardrop shapes between the columns, it is built of brick, the thick walls and tiled floor are plastered with a thick layer of mortar and made waterproof. The Basilica Cistern, with an area of approximately 10 thousand square meters, has a water storage capacity of 100,000 tons.

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Place Must Be Seen Basilica Cistern

Basilica & Basilica Cistern

The basilica burned down in 476, then probably rebuilt by Illus. During the reign of Justinian, it was destroyed by a fire in the Nika Revolt in 532. The basilica was rebuilt in 542 by the governor Longinus, during which time the Basilica Cistern was built under it. Work on the cistern probably began in 527-28, and it probably functioned a few years before the Basilica was done in 541. II. During Justin's reign, an horologion, perhaps a sundial, was established in the Basilica. Although the octagon was permanently closed during Iconoclasm, it was reopened by Patriarch Sergius after being closed by Phocas (602-610). It seems that the Basilica later served as a residence for artisans. Travelers to Constantinople in the 16th century, including Pierre Gilles, were impressed and elaborated on the cistern.

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How The Basilica Cistern Was Made

According to rumors, the water of the cistern, which was built by more than 7,000 slaves, was built by Emperor Valens (Bozdoğan) belt and 115 m. It was brought from the Eğrikapı water distribution center in the Belgrad forests, 19 km away from the city, with the help of the long Mağlova Aqueduct. In the middle of the cistern, it is approximately 30 meters long, 40 meters. The part, which is seen as an irregular protrusion in width, is the wall built to support the weight during repairs made in the last century. Medusa head figures used as pedestals under the two columns in the back corner of the cistern are among the masterpieces of Roman sculpture art. The cistern from the 4th century is astonishing. Although there is no definite information about where the Medusa figures were taken and brought to the cistern, it is thought that they were removed from an ancient structure belonging to the Roman period and brought here.

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